Wishing on the Dog Star
by AureliaMerula
Summary: [Lords of Dogtown] It's early 1976 and Jess and her mom have moved from South New Jersey to Venice CA in search of a better life. It doesn't take long for Jess to cross paths with the Dogtown locals, but will acceptance be easy?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This story is was inspired by the real Z-Boys, not the actors who portrayed them in "LODT". I tried to make this somewhat true to the time period, but there are some deliberate inaccuracies, for example, the real POP pier was demolished in 1974, two years before this story begins. Be warned, the pace is VERY slow and there's not a lot of angst.This story has appeared in part elsewhere online, but I've added some to it since then and will only update it at this location. Of course reviews are very welcome. Thanks for reading!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Z-Boys or the characters in Lords of Dogtown. This work is purely fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.

**Chapter 1**

January 1976

Jess stood in the middle of her bedroom, surrounded by half-unpacked cardboard moving boxes, and sighed in exasperation. Her best slacks were in one of the boxes, probably at the bottom of the last one she would look in, and she needed to get dressed and out the door before the day got much older. Frustrated, she crouched down beside the largest box and continued to rummage through her folded up clothes. Spying her gray and white plaid slacks, she plucked them out and decided that although they were her second best they would have to do. She slipped them on, tucked in her white blouse, pushed her long, gently waved reddish-brown hair back with a wide white headband, and slipped on her Bass deck shoes before heading out the door. At the last second she stopped to grab her lipgloss from the as-yet unsorted pile of makeup on her dresser, then went out to the living room, where her mother was arranging photographs on a bookshelf.

"Ok Mom, I'm going up to the beach to see about waitressing jobs, be back in a couple of hours!"

Her mother shot her a look that was both amused and exasperated. "Sweetie, I don't know why you're in such a hurry to find work – you're not even fully unpacked yet!"

"I know, but classes start on Monday and I'd rather have something lined up by then. And it'll be a good way to meet people around here. If I don't make some new friends as soon as possible, I'm gonna go crazy!"

Her mother smiled understandingly. "You do what you have to do, Jess. But don't get discouraged if you don't find anything today. We'll really be fine with my income," she reassured her daughter.

"I know, but it would be nice to have my own spending money. Besides, it looks like LA is going to be a lot more expensive than back home so I want to help you out as much as possible."

"I do appreciate it, honey. Good luck on the job hunt!" Her mom reached out for a hug. Jess consented, then dashed out the front door, pulling on a grey jersey as she did so. She glared up at the equally grey skies as she got her 10-speed bicycle out of the garage. What was this business about Southern California being sunny all the time? So far in the two days she had been here, the fabled sunshine had failed to materialize and temperatures hovered in the upper 50s to lower 60s. They'd hardly seen a glimpse of their neighbors and the Pacific ocean had been flat the one time she and her mother drove down to check out the beach, five blocks from their new house. So far, it was all a big letdown. But Jess was hopeful as she pedaled westward toward the Venice boardwalk and the many eateries they'd seen there. Surely one of them would need help.

As she approached Pacific Avenue, the ocean gradually revealed itself, vast like everyone said it was, and the same leaden color as the skies. The waves were small and choppy, kicked up a bit by the freshening late morning breeze. Jess wanted to talk to potential employers before the lunch rush kicked in, so she spurred her bike onward, making a left onto the broad, palm-lined avenue, headed toward the north part of town. Two blocks later she saw a likely prospect on the ocean side of the street – a large one-story wooden building painted burgundy with a big sign reading "VENICE NOODLE COMPANY" over the front doors.

Jess chained her bike to a nearby lightpost and walked into the restaurant, which was decorated in a neo-Victorian manner, with dark wood booths and stained glass hanging lamps. Seemed classy enough, although there were no patrons at that early hour. They must have just opened for the day, she thought as she scanned the room for someone to talk to. A 40-ish looking heavyset man with thinning dark hair stepped out from a side room and approached Jess."Good morning, can I help you?"

Jess put on a bright smile. "Umm, yes…are you the manager?"

"Yep. Joe Clark." He extended a hand, which Jess quickly shook in ladylike fashion.

"Mr. Clark. I'm new in town and was wondering if you had any waitressing or hostess positions open? I'm experienced-" Jess broke off speaking as the older man shook his head negatively.

"Gotta say, I have all the help I need right now. Almost overstaffed, in fact. We get a little slower this time of year, not the best time for the tourists unfortunately."

Jess was let down but nodded understandingly. As she was about to inquire about other prospects in the area, the back door to the kitchen swung open and a young man walked out carrying a serving tray loaded with salt and pepper shakers. He was clad in faded bluejeans, and an orange tee shirt, with a slightly stained white apron covering his front. His sun-streaked light blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, revealing a handsome face with high cheekbones, an arrow-straight nose and a slightly squared off jaw. His eyebrows were equally light and almost invisible at the outmost corners of his almond-shaped aqua blue eyes. He seemed to be lost in thought as he crossed the room and went to a table to fill salt shakers, his back to the dining room. The back of his shirt had a "Mr. Zog's Sex Wax" logo and Jess was inwardly delighted – finally, a real California surfer guy!

Mr. Clark looked across the room at the busboy and frowned slightly. "Not that shirt again," he muttered under his breath, then turned his attention back to Jess, who was suppressing an amused smile. "Anyway, we don't have anything right now, but if you want to take an application and bring it back, we do sometimes have openings."

"Sure, thanks," Jess replied as the older man reached under the hostess station and retrieved an application paper, handing it to her with a nod. "There ya go. Good luck. You might want to try looking south of here, we're sort of at the nothern end of the better part of town. It gets a little rough after this block," he cautioned.

"Ok, thank you so much for the advice," she said gratefully as she headed toward the front doors, sparing another glance at the cute blonde guy who was still hunched over the table, apparently oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place. As she pushed the door open she heard the manager say "Stacy, I need you to clean these glass doors before people get here…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Stacy? Jess thought to herself as she walked out to the street to unchain her bike. That's an unusual name for a guy. Oh well, as fine looking as he is, he could be called Trixie or Moe for all I care! Wow…wonder how many more like him are running around here?

Lost in thought, Jess started to pedal up the street, then realized after a couple of blocks that she was still going northward, not south like the manager had said to. As she rolled to a stop and turned around, her gaze was captured by an arresting sight – a huge pier that extended several hundred feet out into the ocean, crowned down its length with several large buildings and amusement park rides. But there was something off about the place – with a closer look it became apparent that none of the rides were in motion and the buildings were derelict. In fact, the whole pier seemed to be falling apart by degrees. Each wave that rolled in caused loose pilings to sway and groan loudly enough for Jess to hear over the rushing surf. There was a definite aura of gloom and rejection looming over the area and yet Jess felt pulled toward the place. Back home she'd sometimes bike around the run-down industrial areas of Southeast Philly and imagine the old factories in full hum decades ago. Staring at this old, rotting pier, she could almost hear the shrieks of the children and the music of the rides wafting to her across the sand.

She stood and took in the sight for several minutes, then took in the sight around her. Most of the apartments and buildings looked very run-down, all fading paint and chipped stucco, some with broken-down cars parked haphazardly out front. She remembered that Mr. Clark had said this was a bad area and decided to go back toward the southside where the neighborhood and job prospects both improved. With one lingering glance over her shoulder at the hulking pier, she turned her bike around and began to pedal.

Two hours and seven restaurants later, she had gotten nowhere with her search. Everyone gave her the same story as Mr Clark: _Sorry, too slow to hire right now_. She decided on the spot to expand her search to retail stores even though all her past experience was in food service. How hard could it be to run a register anyway? She began working her way back north along Pacific Avenue, stopping at any likely-looking shops and boutiques, filling out applications and talking to people in charge on the rare occasions that they were in the store. By 3pm, she was across the street from the Venice Noodle Company again, exhausted and sweating despite the 62F temperature. Time to head for home. As she steered her bike across the street, she saw the restaurant's side door open and the cute blonde surfer guy – Stacy, if she heard the manager right – walk out, stripping off his now heavily-stained apron and pulling his hair free of its mussy ponytail. Jess stopped behind a parked van and peeked around the side at the young man as he stretched langorously and checked his watch. Waiting for someone? Less than a minute later, a Ford Falcon pulled into the lot and stopped next to Stacy, who promptly climbed into the car. Jess strained to see the driver as the car backed out and was dismayed to note it was a girl around her own age with light brown hair to her shoulders and a very cute profile. Ten seconds later the car was heading northward on the avenue. Jess shrugged and rode off in the opposite direction.

Back at home, her mother tried to console her for not finding work: "Like I said, my income from the movie studio is going to be quite substantial, and it's going to be steady too, for once. Why don't you just concentrate on your studies for a little while, Jess?"

Jess sighed. "I don't want to feel like a mooch, Mom. And I think I'm going to need to save up for a car. Everything's a lot more spread out here and the public transport seems kind of…well…nonexistent!"

"I've seen that for myself. Well, at least the college is an easy bike ride away. Just make do for now and we'll see if we can get you something serviceable by your 18th birthday maybe? That's three months away, not long at all. Ok?" her mom reassured her.

"Ok, if none of these stores call me back then I'll hold out," Jess promised.

"Smart girl. So did you see anything comparable to the diners back home?" her mom asked hopefully.

"Noo, they were all just regular restaurants but some of them were pretty nice, I guess."

"So what do you say to dinner out tonight? You must be as tired of sandwiches as I am."

Jess worked up a bright smile for her mom. "Sure. The first place I went to this morning was good, maybe we can go there."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** Hi all, just wanted to say thanks for reading and reviewing. Sorry this is starting off slow, but it does pick up in the future, I promise! Please bear with me. -) – AM

**Chapter 3**

At a few minutes to nine the following Monday morning, Jess was sitting in a second-row desk in her first class of the semester at Santa Monica College, waiting for the Geometry instructor to arrive. So far the room was about half-full and Jess was starting to feel rather overdressed compared to her fellow students, many of whom wore bluejeans, tees or tanks underneath their jackets. Some were even sporting flip-flops or sandals despite it being yet another grey day in the upper 50s. It's almost like they're in denial that gloomy weather happens here, Jess thought wryly. At least it's better than the endless snow and ice we left behind back East!

She was startled out of her contemplation by the sudden appearance of a guy passing the window outside. He was going too fast for Jess to see his face but she observed that he had light blonde shoulder-length hair and his entire upper body was obscured by a heavy burgundy coat – now there's someone who realizes it's winter, Jess thought – but what really caught her attention was that the guy was _gliding_ by at a high speed as though he were ice skating. Or maybe roller skating…Jess couldn't see his feet. A few seconds later he was gone from view. Something about that bright mane made her think it might be that Stacy guy from the restaurant. She began to hope he might be in the same class as she and a minute later her wish was granted. He came into the classroom looking a bit flushed, a notebook tucked under his arm and a yellow skateboard in his other hand.

Ah! That's what he was rolling on. Jess had seen a few skateboarders in her neighborhood back home in Philly, but they had disappeared as soon as the October chill descended on the Northeast. She was vaguely aware of the growing skateboarding phenomenon but had preferred to go rollerskating with her friends at an upscale rink in Pennsauken.

Stacy took a free desk near the back of the classroom and propped his board against the wall next to him. A moment later a 30ish woman carrying the textbook and some folders came in and wrote her name and the class information on the chalkboard while the room grew silent. The instructor introduced herself as Ms. Boardman, then began to take attendance. Jess listened intently as the names rang out, but so far Stacy hadn't replied.

"Gioli…Jessica?" The instructor had mispronounced her last name with a hard 'g'.

Jess perked up. "Here. And…um, it's Gioli." She said it with a soft 'g' the way she preferred.

"Thank you, noted. Harrison…Theresa?"

A short time later the instructor called out, "Peralta…Stacy?" and the cute blonde skateboarder nodded and stuck up his hand. Again, Jess was a bit confounded – wasn't that a Spanish last name? This guy looked about as Latino as Ursula Andress! California was turning out to be an interesting place of contrasts and contradictions. It was almost more of a melting pot than the states back East.

As the instructor handed out the course syllabus, Jess tried to turn her thoughts back to the class, but she remained aware of Stacy's presence just within her peripheral vision. When the class ended she gathered her things and walked out not far behind Stacy, who weaved through the crowded hall and headed for the nearest outside door with an economy of movement. So far Jess had seen some nice-looking guys here but for some reason he stood out above the others. Not just in height – she guessed he was just shy of six feet tall – but something about the way he carried himself seemed to set him apart. She got to the exit just in time to see him barrelling down the campus walkway on his board, doing some kind movement with his feet that made the board fishtail a bit, almost like he was – yeah, surfing! That's what it looks like he's doing, sidewalk surfing, Jess realized. Cool…

But her mood turned a little more sour as she came around a corner, headed toward the other building for her next class and saw Stacy sitting on a large concrete planter next to the girl Jess had seen picking him up from work. She was definitely pretty in that all-natural, atheletic California girl way. Straight, sandy-brown hair a few inches shorter than Stacy's, perfect nose, nice white teeth, dimples, the whole package. No makeup; her naturally glowing skin didn't need it. Jess instantly felt pale in comparison – in several ways. Although Stacy and the girl weren't touching, they seemed to have an easy, familiar way together from the way they were looking and laughing at each other. They seemed very much on the same wavelength to Jess, who looked straight ahead as she passed them and went inside, trying to ignore the girl's giggling at something inaudible that Stacy had just said to her. Oh well, Jess thought. What did I expect? All the cute ones are taken. But surely there's more guys equally as cute in this town. And anyway, I just got here! I don't need to date anyone just yet…do I?


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: **The story will start to earn its M rating with this chapter.

**Chapter 4**

Three days later Jess got a break on the job front: the manager of one of the stores she'd left an application with called her and requested an interview the next day at 2pm. Jess showed up at the store five minutes early, dressed in her best slacks (which were indeed at the bottom of the last box she unpacked), and a gray blouse with ruffled sleeves. She felt a little nervous since she was completely lacking in retail experience but during the 10-minute long bike ride from her house to the store, she tried to reassure herself that working in stores was a lot like waitressing. She'd still be working with the public and dealing with money, after all.

The manager was an attractive light-skinned Black woman named Evie. After talking with Jess for 20 minutes about past work experience and the store's expectations for its employees, Evie smiled at her brightly and said, "I think you'd do fine here, Jess. Helping customers isn't rocket science, after all. Just radiate warmth and positivity, make them feel welcome and cool, and the rest falls into place, trust me."

"Sure, gotcha." Jess responded with a practice burst of warmth and positivity in her voice.

Evie grinned. "See? You're catching on already. So if we offered you the position, would you accept it? Four weekday afternoons and all day Saturday."

Jess only needed a moment to think. It wasn't like she had regular plans on Saturdays and at least the job didn't involve nights. It wouldn't pay as well as waitressing, but something was better than nothing. She decided to accept.

"Great. You can start next Monday. Just one thing though…" Evie broke off as she studied Jess's outfit. "No offense, but do you have anything to wear that's a little more…hip?"

"Hip?" Jess asked as she caught a glimpse of herself in one of the boutique's many full-length mirrors. Hey, her outfit was pretty new! It's not like it was some granny gown from 1972, for goodness' sake.

"Yeah, I mean, those clothes are probably fine for Philadelphia, but baby I'm sorry – they're just too conservative for Southern California. You definitely need an update. Tell ya what, I'll give you an advance loan on your first paycheck AND an employee discount on anything you want in here. If you have the look our customers are after, they're much more likely to want that for themselves and buy something. Think of yourself as a model, ya know?"

Jess had to privately admit that Evie was right. What went for Philly definitely didn't go for LA. She let her new boss lead her around the shop, picking out just the right items for Jess's coloring and figure. Three skirts, two jeans, two pairs of sandals and four tops later, Evie declared Jess fit for employment, totaled her up with an incredibly generous discount, and saw her off with advice about "a really happening hair salon over on Venice Boulevard. Tell 'em you're working for me now and they'll take care of ya!"

With a big shopping bag over each arm, a somewhat dazed Jess left the store and clambered back on her bike. It wasn't easy to pedal with her purchases so she took it slow. The sun had finally put in an appearance and she tilted her face upward, hoping to get a little color despite the mild temperature. She went a block out of her way to stop at the salon Evie recommended and make an appointment for the next day. It looked like a rather happening place indeed, all white and chrome with loud music blasting thru speakers in all four corners and the stylists done to the nines in the latest fashions. As she left Jess just hoped they wouldn't butcher her near-waist length hair **too** badly.

Back home, she decided to put on one of her new outfits and wear it for the rest of the day to get herself more into a Southern California frame of mind. She chose the knee-length A-line wraparound denim skirt and a dark brown pukka-shell-adorned tank top paired with brown lace-up sandals and left her hair down to fall in gentle waves down her back. Since she had the afternoon free and her mom wouldn't come home until after six, she decided to take a walk around the area, maybe go back and check out that falling-down amusement pier while it was still daylight.

It took over thirty minutes to walk up far enough north for the pier to be in sight. At that point Jess was standing at the intersection of Neilson and Strand Street. The neighborhood was still halfway safe looking so she decided to continue a little farther. She headed down Strand towards the looming ocean, then took a right when the little street dead-ended at Barnard Way, always keeping the hulking pier in her vision.

A few minutes later she reached a cross-street called Bicknell Avenue, a short but steeply sloped lane that led directly to the sandy beach. The top of the street was blocked off with concrete pylons linked by chains, but it was still full of traffic of the four-wheeled kind. About a dozen kids were weaving their way down the street on skateboards, some making big S-turns around traffic cones set up as a slalom course, some rolling straight down the hill as fast as possible and running off their boards onto the sand at the bottom, and some doing a surf-type maneuver where they crouched low, planted one hand on the ground, then turned their boards in a hard arc that made their wheels screech on the asphalt. The skaters looked to range in age from 13 to 20, mostly males, but two girls were also out on their boards while a half-dozen more watched from the sidelines. Most of the boys and one of the girls were dressed in dark-blue tees and raggedy jeans. Jess noted that many of them were wearing the same kind of tennis shoes, too. All of them were slender and longhaired and quite attractive in his or her own way, some with dark hair and foreign features, some with straight blonde or reddish hair and classic Celtic or all-American faces. Jess sought out Stacy's lanky frame and white-blonde mane among their number, but he didn't seem to be there.

She edged her way down the hill, trying to stay out of everyone's peripheral vision and just watch for a little while. One of the younger looking boys with streaked blonde hair just above his skinny shoulders and an especially vigorous skating style tried a one-footed slide and lost control of his board, which rocketed into the knot of girls sitting and watching by the road. This led to an amusing exchange that was more than audible to Jess across the street:

"Why don't you put that thing on a leash like your surfboard, Jayboy?" one of the girls shouted in a distinct Mexican accent.

"Why don't you sit your ass somewhere else, Angel!" the boy retorted as he strode toward them to retrieve his skateboard.

A taller, older girl stood up and kicked it towards him. "We're not in anyone's way – just watch what you do with that thing, ok?"

The skater they called Jay reached down and grabbed the crotch area of his faded jeans. "I bet you'd like to watch what I do with _this_ thing, wouldn't ya, Karen?"

Another slightly older guy with a thick, curly mop of brownish-blonde hair and handsome Hispanic features walked past him on his way back up the hill. He clapped the blonde kid on the shoulder and said, "You tell 'em, Jayboy!" Jess saw that both his and Jay's tee shirts read "ZEPHYR SKATE TEAM" on the back.

"You know it, Tony," Jay assured him.

"Yeah, like any of us want to touch your pencil dick," Karen shot back smugly as the other girls laughed hysterically.

Jay snorted in derision. "You won't be saying that after I put a great big welt on your face with it, bitch!"

"I'd like to see you try, asshole! I'd bite it off," Karen snarled.

"Like eating a cocktail weenie, huh?" Angel giggled.

"Fuck you trash girls anyways." Jay flipped the bird and skated off down the hill as the girls all fell over laughing on the sidewalk. Jess was amused but slightly taken aback by the whole scenario. A few boys back home had been known for their snide attitudes, but this kid took the prize for King Brat! She had to admit that his skating was amazing though. Of all the skaters out there his moves were the fastest and smoothest, occasional board loss mishaps notwithstanding.

A few minutes later an older guy with straggly, wavy blonde hair and a Marlboro pasted to his lower lip came to the top of the hill and observed the action for a short time, then began an impromptu commentary: "Nathan! Watch what you're doing with your hands. Don't make fists, that's bad style man!" "P.C.! Use your right foot to push the board a little farther away from you when you do a bert. Yeah, that's good." "Peggy, nice tuck knee carves there. Real nice." The last comment was directed to sweet-faced Asian girl, the only female wearing a Zephyr tee like the other boys. The skaters would acknowledge his advice with a respectful nod and sometimes an "Ok, Skip!", and Jess realized that he was no random heckler but a sort of mentor to them, maybe even the leader of this Zephyr team.

"Hey, where the hell's Peralta?" the older guy called out to no one in particular. Jess's heart did a little hop at the name – could that be the same Peralta as Stacy?

"Uhhh, I think he went skiing today," Peggy called out.

"Skiing. Yeah, that's our Boy Scout," Skip muttered derisively as he tossed his cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out with his toe. Then he loudly announced: "Ok kiddies, I'm going back to the shop. Anyone who wants to help me and Jeff spray rails gets to ride the newest prototype tomorrow – at the Cove!" And with that proclamation he was off, trudging back up the hill toward Main Street. Jess was baffled –spraying rails as in stair rails? And where the hell was this Cove? There were certainly no cove-like features on this stretch of beach, just smooth swathes of sand, a couple of jetties and the gigantic amusement pier she'd been going to check out when she got distracted by the skaters.

The guy they called Tony executed a perfect spin with his board, then said loudly: "I'm going up to help Skip. Got a feeling the Cove's gonna be going _off_ tomorrow and that new shape Jeff's working on looks bitchin'!"

"Bye, Tony!" one of the girls cooed and was rewarded with a half-hearted wave from the curly-haired teen.

"Hang on, I'm going up with ya," Jay said as he scooped his board up with the toe of his hole-filled shoe and tucked it under his arm. As the two passed Jess they seemed to notice her for the first time. Tony only gave her a warm smile and a glance that hinted of interest, but Jay broke away and came to stand right in front of her, his clear blue eyes gleaming with mischief and open desire.

"Heeey, foxy! You new around here? What's your name?" he demanded hotly.

"Jess," she said a little more primly than she intended to.

Jay smirked at her. "So Jess, you wanna be like boyfriend and girlfriend for the next 24 hours?"

As Jess blushed, everyone within earshot cracked up. "Fuckin' hilarious, Jayboy! Can I use that sometime?" Tony guffawed.

The girls on the other side of the street started to elbow each other and whisper amongst themselves. Between her new clothes and suddenly being the center of attention, Jess was feeling decidedly self-conscious and speechless. She knew she should hit Jay with some smart comeback, but up close he was almost too cute to be mean to. His big cat-like aqua eyes, slightly snubbed nose, and pointed chin gave him an impish charm. She also noticed that when he wasn't grinning manically his mouth was rather sensual, almost pouty, and yet it made him seem more masculine somehow. He was tan even though it was winter, and sweating from the skating session. Jess could smell surf and sand and sun emanating from his golden skin, blended together to make pure Essence of California Guy.

They stood there unspeaking for a moment, gazes locked, his chest heaving from exertion and her fingers burying themselves in the extra fabric on the sides of her peasant skirt. Then Jay broke the silence by scrunching his nose up and baring his eyeteeth to snarl "Rraaarrghhh!" into Jess's face.

Jess involuntarily stepped back but gave an amused laugh at the same time. Yeah, this guy was a riot all right. Suddenly she came up with a suitable comeback – "Make it the next 48 hours and maybe you got yourself a deal!" As soon as the words were out of her mouth she wished she could take them back. Where in the hell did that come from, she thought to herself. I mean he's a cocky little rat, and he has to be at least a year younger than I am, but there's something about him, don't know what it is…

Tony hooted with laughter again as Jay gave her another impish grin and began to walk away without another word, leaving Jess standing alone with her thoughts. Halfway up the hill Jay spun in his tracks and fired off a last command: "Hey, Jess! Zephyr Surf Shop. Bay Street and Main. Your 48 hours starts when you get there!" And with that he and Tony broke into a jog and were soon lost to sight, their cackling laughter fading into the distance.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After Jay and Tony left, Jess stood there for a minute debating on what to do. It was going to be dark in another hour, so it was too late to check out the pier at closer range. If she didn't go to this surf shop she'd probably be seen by the guys as stuck up, but if she did go…what if this Jay guy tried some stupid crap out on her? Well, she'd knock him over and take off screeching like that time Kevin Salvucci tried to hold her down and kiss her in 6th grade, that's what she'd do. If I could handle that overgrown putz, I can certainly handle this little California skate rat, she rationalized.

As she started to walk back up the hill, the group of girls sitting on the opposite sidewalk got to their feet and crossed the road, obviously intent on talking to Jess. The members of the faction appeared to range in age from early teens to early 20s. Most had clearly Latina or Native American features; none of them were blonde. Their attire was a mix of faded jeans, peasant skirts and fringed blouses, beaded tunics with wide leather belts, and flowing Mexican-embroidered dresses. They all had long one-length hair worn in simple styles, some with leather barrettes or feathers on leather thongs hanging down their backs.

"Hey, what are you doing around here?" the tallest one – whom Jay had called Karen - asked in a pleasant enough way, but there was a hint of steel in her vocal tone.

"Umm, I just moved here last week and was sorta exploring the neighborhood," Jess explained.

Angel, the girl who started the altercation with Jay broke in. "Where you move from, the Valley?" This query provoked a few titters and sneers from the rest of the group.

At first Jess thought she meant Valley Forge in Pennsylvania. "Nnnooo, a little farther East. Philly."

A third girl barked with laughter. "That's a _lot_ farther east than San Fernando, girl!"

Ohh, _that_ Valley, Jess thought, wanting to smack her forehead for being such a schmuck. She already knew the reputation that "Vals" had in L.A. proper and here she was acting as ditzy as they were reputed to be. She could feel a blush starting to come on.

"So where you live now exactly?" Angel queried.

"Well, right here. Y'know, Venice," Jess explained, then felt even more ill-at-ease when all the girls began to snicker derisively. "Uhh, I don't get it. This neighborhood _is_ still in Venice, right?"

"Technically it may be, but the _real_ locals call it Dogtown," Karen announced. Jess noted the emphasis she put on the word 'real' – that was definitely a message. She was starting to feel like a gang member who'd wandered accidentally into rival territory. Time to show them she wasn't so fresh off the bus that she knew nobody at all.

"So, do you know a guy named Stacy Peralta? Blonde, skater, goes to Santa…Monica…" Jess's voice trailed off at the sight of six girls' expressions that had suddenly gone darker than a raven in a coal mine at midnight.

"How do you know Stacy?" Karen asked, and this time the steel in her voice was unmistakable.

"I…don't _know_ him…really. He uhh, just sits in my Geometry class and I heard his name once and saw him skate, and since you know some of these other guys here I just thought maybe you knew him too. But I've never talked to him or anything, honest." Her words were hurried as she tried to assure the increasingly hostile-looking girls.

Angel tilted her chin up defiantly. "What's your name again?"

"Jess."

"Ok Jess, since you're new here, I'm gonna tell you the deal nicely – once. I have to tell you again, it won't be with words, you dig?" Angel growled as the other girls formed a loose semi-circle around Jess, hovering just outside arm's reach.

Jess only swallowed and nodded.

"Stacy…you stay the _hell_ away from. Never, ever, _ever_ let any of us catch you talking to him for even a second. Not even to ask him for help with your homework. Not even if you catch on fucking fire and he's standing next to you with an extinguisher, got it?"

"I…yeah." That was all Jess could diplomatically say at the moment.

"And while we're schooling you, that goes for Tony too," Karen broke in. "He just left here – the curly haired guy in the dark blue shirt," she added.

"But Jay you can have!" one of the other girls shrieked, causing the others to cackle madly for a second or two.

But Jess was far from seeing the funny side of anything at the moment. She was so flustered and angry that she was almost shaking. If it had been just one or two of these girls confronting her, she might have challenged them or calmly asked them for an explanation at the very least. But since she was outnumbered six to one she thought it best to keep her mouth shut and just nod in agreement. Stay cool, keep quiet and get on your way as fast as possible. It seemed to work. The girls began to back off a few feet but were still watching her intently for any signs of defiance.

Suddenly a thought occurred to Jess and the question was out before she could stop it:

"Umm, is it ok for me to hang out and just watch the skating sometimes though?" She braced herself for a bad reaction as the girls looked at each other for a half-minute, but Karen only shrugged and said, "Hey, it's a free country. You can come here, but just watch your step with the guys we warned you about." Jess sighed in relief now that an ass-kicking was no longer imminent.

"Any other stupid questions?" Angel sneered.

Screw it, Jess thought. There's something I'm dying to know and if anyone knows the answer to this it'll be the _real_ locals as that smug-ass Karen put it.

"Yeah, I'm just curious about that place." Jess pointed to the falling-down pier. "It looks kind of fascinating but I get the feeling that it's a bad place to go alone," she confessed.

All the girls remained stony-faced, hands on hips. "For you it's a bad place to go - _ever_," Angel barked. "It's for Dogtowners only. Everyone else is considered a trespasser and will be dealt with accordingly."

And with that last parting shot, the girls turned on their heels and walked away. They didn't talk or even giggle, just strode off in complete silence, which threw Jess off almost as much as the rest of the confrontation. She stood there for a minute watching the girls' retreating backs, then began wondering anew what she should do next. Play it safe and go home, or go to this Zephyr shop that Jay invited her to? After all, the girls didn't say anything about that place being off limits…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

In the end, Jess went straight home. She decided that she'd already risked enough for her first time in Dogtown and didn't want to push her luck. If the Zephyr shop was a regular hangout for the skaters – after all, their shirts bore evidence of this – then Jay could probably be found around there almost anytime. Interesting that the girls didn't seem to care if she talked to him or not, though, she thought to herself. He must have scared them all off! This revelation made her wonder briefly if it would be worth it to even pursue a friendship with the unruly skater, but the memory of those mischievous aqua eyes and boyishly handsome face came flooding back and she felt another wave of interest build inside her. And hey, if that went nowhere there was always Tony with the beautiful curly hair – no wait, the Dogtown girls had warned her off of him along with Stacy. She wished she'd had the nerve to ask them why, since none of them seemed to be with either guy. Were the guys just major jerks? No, that couldn't be it. There was definitely an aura of possessiveness around the girls' order to keep away, like they had a prior claim on them or something. So how did that girl she saw with Stacy at the college fit into this?

Jess was starting to get a tension headache from the standoff and resulting confusion. She was definitely intrigued by the guys of Dogtown, but was it worth it to come back and risk an even worse encounter with the Dogtown girls? Jess ferverently hoped that not _all_ of the local girls were that territorial, because she was already sure she'd go back again. Maybe she wouldn't talk to anyone at all, but she would return. The hell with those bitches!

The next day was a Saturday and since Jess wasn't starting work until Monday, she got up early and dressed to head out for her hair appointment. As she called goodbye to her mom (whose parting advice was "Don't let them scalp you!") and stepped outside she saw it was going to be another sunny day. It was nice getting up early on a January morning and being able to go out with jeans and a jacket instead of having to bundle herself up in so many heavy winter clothes that it was difficult to put her arms all the way down by her sides.

It took a little under ten minutes to cycle down the still quiet Venice streets to the salon. Jess chained her bike to a nearby rack – another nice thing about California – and checked in with the front receptionist. Business was already brisk; Tavares was blaring as the white-clad stylists did their thing with their trusting clients. Jess sat and waited for her turn, flicking through various hairstyle magazines for some last-minute ideas.

"Hi, Jess?" A woman's voice interrupted her contemplation; Jess looked up startled to see a pretty woman in her mid-twenties standing over her. "I'm Deb, your stylist. Ready to go back?" Jess was relieved to note that Deb's honey-blonde hair was a few inches past her shoulders. Good maybe she won't be as likely to chop all mine off, she thought.

"Sure, I guess so," she replied with a shy smile.

"Nervous, huh?" Deb inquired kindly.

"Well, a bit. I haven't been to a real hair salon since I was maybe ten or so," she admitted a bit sheepishly as she took a seat in Deb's white leather styling chair.

"Ah. A home job," Deb confirmed as she began examining Jess's tresses. "Well, it's certainly healthy and has a nice natural wave. You must eat your veggies!"

Jess giggled a bit at that. "Guess so. I've never permed or dyed it either, so I'm sure that helps too."

"It does indeed. So, any ideas about what kind of style you want?"

Jess frowned in consternation. "Welll, not really. Something new but not _too_ new if you get my meaning. And please don't cut it all off!"

Deb smiled reassuringly as she reached for her water spray bottle and began liberally dampening Jess's locks. "I promise I won't. Your hair is much too pretty – it just needs some shape and volume. Don't worry, I'll keep as much length as I can."

As Deb worked she asked Jess the standard questions about her origins and recent move to LA. "How do you like it here so far?" she asked the teen.

"Well enough I guess. The weather's a lot better, the people at work and the college are really cool and there's a lot of cute guys-"

"Oh yeah!" Deb broke in and they both chuckled knowingly.

"But to be honest I'm not sure about some of the local girls I've met," Jess continued. She quickly related yesterday's encounter with the unfriendly pack of Dogtown girls at Bicknell Hill.

Deb's attractive face scrunched in a moue of amusement and disgust. "Did you get any of their names?"

"Umm, one was called Karen and another was Angel, but she acted like anything but!" Jess protested with an ironic laugh.

"Oh yeah, I know exactly who you're talking about," Deb said with a little laugh and shake of her head.

"You do? Are they clients of yours or something?"

"Nah, I'm from Dogtown too. Karen is a cousin of mine and Angel is my little sister's best friend. Was there a really petite girl there with the same color hair as mine and a skateboard?"

Jess did remember seeing another skateboarding female besides the Asian girl Peggy. "Yeah, she rode down the hill wearing a sundress and all the guys acted like their eyes were gonna pop out of their heads," Jess recalled.

"Oh yeah, that's Allie all right!" Deb hooted. "If Mama finds out she skated in a tiny little dress she'll ground her until she's 30!"

"Well if it helps, she never said a word against me," Jess stated. But then again, she never said anything in my favor either, Jess thought privately. You could definitely tell which side _her_ bread was buttered on!

"Nah, Allie's really not a bad kid, she's just heavily under the sway of those other girls," Deb assured her. "Most of them are what we consider the 'younger crowd'. They're all the little sisters or cousins of me and my friends. We would boss them around and in turn they like to pick on newcomers and non-Dogtowners. Guess it's how you work your way up through the pecking order around here. Ok, hold real still for a sec."

Jess closed her eyes and didn't move a bit as the front of her hair was crafted into long bangs. "There, you can relax now," Deb told her. Jess opened her eyes and sneaked a peek into the mirror. Thankfully it looked good so far.

"Anyway, don't worry about those girls, ok? If you're cool, they won't mess with you. And you seem pretty cool to me," Deb comforted Jess with a warm smile.

"Well, ok. Thanks. But hey, any idea why they were so weird about me talking to certain guys? Stacy and Tony, that is," Jess explained.

"Ha! I went to the same high school as Stacy. He's two years younger but that didn't stop me and my friends from chasing him around. He's a cutie, all right!"

Jess was highly amused and intrigued. "Did any of you ever catch him?"

"Nah, I think we scared him. I mean he's shy, right, and yet he seems to be the one who likes to do the chasing, ya know?"

Jess just nodded, soaking up the information.

"So now since the older girls have moved on, the younger ones want a shot at him – if he ever finishes with his current girl," Deb laughed.

"That's understandable, but they acted like I didn't even have a right to talk to him," Jess complained.

Deb laughed a bit guiltily. "I gotta admit that's something they picked up from the older crowd. We just had a thing about keeping it all in the neighborhood – y'know, only a Dogtowner can date a Dogtowner and surf P.O.P., that kind of thing. But we knew we couldn't stop any of those guys from dating a girl from outside the neighborhood if they really liked them. Take Stacy for example. The girl he's seeing is from a couple of miles inland from here. And I'm sure it's driving those girls insane! But hey, I'm cool with any chick as long as she's not a _Val_," Deb spit derisively.

"I hear ya. Umm, what's P.O.P.?" Jess inquired.

"Have you seen that big pier near Bicknell Hill, the one with all the junked rides on it and stuff?"

"Yeah, the girls told me to stay away from it too." Jess said ruefully.

"Well, that's P.O.P. – Pacific Ocean Park. It closed in '67 because the neighborhood got really bad and nobody wanted to go there anymore. I had a lot of birthday parties there when I was a kid, though!" Deb smiled at the memory. "Anyway, you can't see it from the beach but it makes a kind of horseshoe or 'U' shape inside and produces really gnarly waves. It's called the Cove and only the best local surfers are allowed to go there."

"Hmm, this guy there yesterday – I think his name was Skip – mentioned something about a Cove, maybe he meant that place."

"Probably so," Deb replied as she spun the chair to start working on the other side. "Skip's cool. So's Jeff, the other owner of the Zephyr shop. And they have a very nice lady working in there sometimes named Cleo. You ever go there, tell 'em you know me and then try to sit back and just listen and watch. As long as you're not acting completely clueless or disrespectful they shouldn't have a problem with you. And oh yeah, either bring something with you for the guys or offer to help out around the shop, that'll get you on their good side faster than anything," Deb advised with a laugh.

Jess furrowed her brow. "Bring something for the guys like what?"

"You old enough to buy beer?"

"Nope. I'm 17."

"Ok then, cigs are always welcomed. Or cheap sunglasses – Skip's always losing his. Or hell, even cookies or brownies – especially if there's something extra in them!" Deb winked knowingly.

"Oh geez, I wouldn't have any idea where to even get those uh…extra ingredients!" Jess confessed.

"You a straight and sober type huh?" Deb teased.

Jess shrugged. "I've had alcohol before, but was afraid to try the pot back home. Too many horror stories about it being laced." She was actually blushing now, as if _not_ doing drugs was something to be ashamed of.

"Well, it's the good stuff out here, honey! And that's all I'm gonna say." Jess would have nodded in acknowledgement, but Deb was touching up the back so she had to keep still.

Five minutes later Deb announced: "Ok, we're almost done! I'm going to give you a quick shampoo and then show you how to style your new 'do." She led Jess to the sink area, washed and conditioned her hair, then took her back to her station and demonstrated how to blow dry her hair using a brush to make the style work. "You can also use hot rollers if you have more time and want it to stay set for a lot longer," Deb advised.

It took over 15 minutes but when she was done Jess saw herself in the big mirror and gasped aloud. For the first time in years she had an actual hairstyle! About seven inches had been taken off, taking her hair from near waist-length to just about bra strap level. Deb had put several graduated layers around the sides and face and made cheekbone-length bangs, which she had styled so they gently arced out and down, nicely framing her heart-shaped face. The other layers used her natural wave to great effect, making her hair look a lot more voluminous and bouncy. Jess was amazed at the difference it made to her whole appearance. Best of all, it wasn't a very trendy cut, so she wouldn't walk around the neighborhood looking like an overstyled fashion victim. _That_ wouldn't go down well with the Dogtown girls at all.

She thanked Deb profusely as she got out of the chair. The stylist just smiled and shook her head. "Glad you like it. You were pretty enough to begin with but now you're a knockout! And if you just add a little makeup and some hot clothes you'll cause fender benders on Venice Boulevard!"

"I already got some new outfits and makeup is next," Jess assured her.

"Right on! If you want my advice, go with browns, wines and neutrals. Those will go best with your skin tones. And if you have the urge to get a tan, keep it light. The ivory complexion really suits you. I've seen some of these older ladies who haven't come in from the beach since 1950 and their mouths are so wrinkled they look like a cat's butthole! Bad news, man!"

"Yeah, I don't have the patience to just lie on a towel and fry anyway."

"Good. And look, next time I see Angela or my little sister I'll tell them you're cool and not to hassle you."

"Oh, thanks so much, Deb!" Jess was truly touched by the older woman's kindness. At least there was one Dogtown girl who was accepting of new people.

Jess paid the receptionist and tipped Deb as much as she could afford. When she walked out of the salon both her head and her spirits were raised high. New city, new job, new school, new look - was a new guy next? She intended to go back to Dogtown and find out…today.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

An hour later, Jess rolled her bike to a stop at the intersection of Bay and Main and contemplated the store across the street. One story and flat-roofed like most of the businesses in the area, the façade was bright yellow with a white corrugated metal awning and the name **_'ZEPHYR SURF SHOP'_** painted in neat black lettering above. A variety of surfboards painted in wild colors were propped in the big plate-glass windows and a couple of guys she hadn't seen before were lounging outside the front door. They didn't look threatening though, just like older hippieish types. There was no sign of Jay, Tony or any of the other Zephyr team members, nor – much to her relief – any of the girls she'd encountered yesterday. She was going to have to go inside the shop if she wanted to see who was hanging around. Anxiously she pushed her bike across the street and chained it extra securely to the nearest lamp post, then cautiously walked into the shop.

At first her eyes had trouble adjusting from the bright sunshine to the shop's dim interior. The first thing she noticed was a strange chemical-like smell that she would later learn to recognize as a mix of resin and heated fiberglass. Nobody seemed to be there and she almost called out hello when she heard voices coming from the room beyond:

"Dude, I think someone just walked in." A young-sounding male.

"Well shit, I had to go out last time. It's your turn. Go on." An older-sounding male.

"Aww, for fuck's sake, Skip. Ok, fine. Lemme get rid of 'em and _don't_ smoke that whole thing before I get back, man!" The speaker walked into the room and Jess recognized him as one of the skaters from yesterday – the one Skip had called Nathan. He was a bit taller than average and sported a thick mustache which made Jess think he was around 19 or 20, a bit older than the rest of the kids. He seemed a bit taken aback at the sight of a girl in the shop alone, as if that didn't happen a whole lot, but instantly regained a snide attitude. "Whadda ya want?" he barked.

Jess was more prepared for the anti-newbie mindset now and wasn't going to be easily flustered this time. "Hey. You probably didn't see me but I was watching everyone skate on the hill yesterday and Jay invited me to the store. Thought I'd come and check it out," she said as casually as possible as though she waltzed into unfamiliar scenes every day.

Nathan grunted. "Yeah, I saw that. We were wondering why didn't you come up here yesterday when he invited you? Missed a helluva party."

"Oh, too bad. I had ah, other plans already that I couldn't break though." Sort of a truth, although he didn't need to know the real reason.

"Hey, your loss." Nathan shrugged dismissively. "Anyway, he's down surfing at the Cove today and I don't know if it's a good idea for you to go down-" He broke off speaking as Skip's voice cut in from the other room.

"What's taking you so long, man? Who ya talking to?" the older man demanded.

"I think it's that chick Jay was hittin' on at Bicknell yesterday," Nathan shouted back with total impropriety. He turned back to Jess and looked at her quizzically. "You were at Bicknell yesterday right? Did you change your hair since then or something?"

Jess started to answer but got cut off by the other man's voice: "What chick? She hot? Ah, screw it." Skip walked into the room and saw Jess. "Yeah, not bad," he half-muttered, not caring if she heard. "Sorry honey, Jay's not here right now. He might get back before too long though, so if ya wanna hang out…" He let the ending hang in the air as he cocked one eyebrow at her and gestured towards the other room.

"Uhh…" Jess hesitated for the barest moment, reluctant to go into a more secluded place with two older guys she didn't know, but she didn't want to seem uptight and make a bad impression. She decided to hang out but would make sure that nobody got between her and an exit. "Sure."

"After you, my lady," Skip drawled in a mock-chivalrous manner and motioned for her to walk on as he and Nathan followed.

The next room turned out to be an extension of the first showroom with still more surfboards and big windows looking out onto Bay Street. Jess relaxed a little and sat down on a carpeted bench built into the wall beside the door. "Wow, nice boards," she said as she took in her surroundings.

"Yeah, thanks," Skip replied languorously. "You surf?"

"Nope, the Delaware River's not exactly known for big waves," Jess joked.

"Ohh, East Coast girl huh?" the older man quipped. He turned to a small fridge behind him, took out two beers, popped them open and proffered one to Jess, who took it with a thankful smile. "And let me guess, you just moved here and somehow found our happy little place. Congratulations." And with that he saluted her with his bottle and took a deep swig. Jess took a small sip from hers and tried not to make a funny face at the bitter taste. Skip still noticed. "Not a big drinker huh?" he teased her.

"Well, don't you think it's a bit early in the day?" she coyly responded.

"Maybe for the hard stuff. But any time's Miller time, far as I'm concerned."

"But dude, this is Old Milwaukee!" Nathan said with a laugh.

"Yeah yeah, Miller, Milwaukee, American beer's all the same. Like a couple makin' love in a canoe – fuckin' close to water!" Everyone broke out laughing at the old joke. Skip lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair, exhaling his smoke toward the ceiling. "So whadda ya think of our Jayboy?" he asked Jess.

"He's nuts. Cute, but nuts," she responded honestly.

"Ahh, he's a good kid at heart though. Just needs a nice girl to help keep him in line."

"That and a straitjacket," Nathan muttered under his breath.

Ok, that's two people in two days who have suggested I get together with Jay, Jess thought to herself. Sounds like he really _does_ need a girlfriend. But does he _want_ a girlfriend? And would I be up to the task?

"Hey, what did Karen and those other chicks say to you yesterday? I saw 'em go up to you," Nathan queried. Jess just shook her head at first, reluctant to say anything that might find its way back to the unwelcoming group of local girls she'd encountered at Bicknell Hill.

"Ohh, did ya meet the Dogtown Welcome Wagon already?" Skip laughed.

Jess laughed along a bit nervously but still declined to elaborate. Skip took a last drag off his cigarette and crushed the butt into a car hubcap that was currently serving as an ashtray. "Lemme guess, they told ya to stay away from all their hangouts and most of the guys, yeah?"

"Uhh, yeah. Well, two guys in particular and that pier – P.O.P. Which is kind of too bad because that place fascinates me," Jess confessed.

"I gotta agree with them there, though. They had a good reason for warning you off of the place. It's not safe, kiddo. There's _heavy_ gang activity in that area and crazy hobos who'd set you on fire just for kicks. So don't ever go there alone," Skip growled.

"O…okay," Jess agreed.

"Which two guys did they tell you to stay away from?" Nathan asked with a grin.

"Stacy and Tony," Jess half-whispered, not liking this turn of conversation at all.

Both guys hooted with laughter. "The pretty boy and the Mad Dog!" Skip guffawed.

"Man, all the girls have a thing for those two," Nathan grumbled.

"Hey now, you don't do so badly with the ladies yourself!" Skip teased the younger man, who shrugged and threw up his hands in resignation. Jess had to admit he was handsome, but not her type. She wasn't terribly big on guys with facial hair. Still, she was sure he had his share of female admirers. She decided to try and change the topic. "Umm, I met a girl named Deb this morning. She did my hair, said she was from this area?"

Skip and Nathan both nodded. "Yeah, we know Deb," Skip said with a slight smile. "What did she have to say about us?"

"Only good stuff. That you were cool," Jess assured him.

"She said I was cool, huh?" Skip grinned. "Yeah, well…she's cool too."

"She said something about a Jeff and a Cleo, too."

"Oh yeah, Jeff's way cooler than I am," Skip drawled as Nathan burst out laughing.

"Jeff's the man," Nathan chimed in when he'd caught his breath.

Skip drained the last of his beer, crumpled the can in one fist and tossed it vaguely in the direction of the nearest trash can. It missed by a good 10 inches, joining several of its similarly crushed comrades in a small pile on the floor. At least he misses consistently, Jess thought wryly.

A moment later Jess thought she heard the shop's front door open. Then a young woman's voice rang out: "Yoo-hooo! Anybody here? Skip? Jeff? Where you guys hidin' out?"

"Back here!" Skip yelled. An attractive girl who looked to be in her late teens with slightly wavy shoulder-length blonde hair walked into the back room. Her slender but curvy torso was barely covered by a tank top with spaghetti straps and her long legs were clad in short-shorts. "Hey, Skipper!" she cooed and came forward to give the older man a big hug.

"Hey Kathy baby," Skip replied. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good. Is my baby brother still down there surfing? Hey, Nathan."

Skip lit another cigarette. "Yeah, far's I know Tony's still there.

"Guess they got some good waves, huh?" Kathy asked as she found a place to sit near Skip. She noticed Jess for the first time. "Oh, hi."

"Hey," Jess replied a bit shyly. Skip did the honors: "Kathy, this is Jess. Jess…Kathy."

"Hi Kathy. Hey, are you friends with someone named Deb? Who works in a salon?" Jess queried carefully.

Kathy perked up. "Yeah, that's one of my best friends! Did she do your hair?"

Jess grinned. "Yeah, just this morning. She's amazing!"

"She is amazing. You look great," Kathy complimented. Jess began to relax a little. Looked like maybe she'd found another nice Dogtown girl.

"So your brother Tony, does he skate and have long curly hair?" she asked Kathy.

"Yeah. You met him already?"

"I just saw him skating. Didn't talk to him though," Jess added quickly just in case Kathy also had a thing against outside girls. She doubted it, but had gotten a lot more cautious since yesterday. Dogtown had a steep learning curve, that was for sure.

With a little laugh Nathan broke in: "Check it out Kath, she's not **allowed** to talk to Tony!"

Kathy turned to face Jess again, a baffled look on her pretty face. "Whaaat? Who told you that you couldn't talk to Tony?"

"The usual suspects," Skip chuckled. "The younger crowd is trying to keep the neighborhood pure, if ya catch my drift."

Kathy rolled her big dark eyes to the ceiling and shook her head in disbelief. "Don't pay them any mind," she told Jess. "They're like that with every new girl."

"That's exactly what Deb told me, too."

"Well, she's right. And if she thinks you're ok then you're cool in my book, too," Kathy assured her with a kind smile.

"Yeah, Jess is ok," Skip confirmed with a big wink. Jess began to blush a bit but felt vindicated at the same time. Take i that /i , bitchy girls!

Kathy stood up. "Look, I wanna go down to the Cove and watch the guys for a bit before the waves blow out. Any of you wanna come?"

"Sure," Nathan volunteered.

"Ah screw it. I'll come too," Skip added. "It's a slow day anyway and I'm sick of looking at this dump."

Jess looked from one person to the other, unsure of what to say. Skip put out his cig and looked over at her. "You wanna come with us, or do ya have something else to do?"

Jess was thrilled. Finally, a chance to see P.O.P. and with a local escort to watch her back! "Sure, I'll come down with you," she said in the most casual voice she could work up.

Skip stood up and stretched. "Ok then kiddies, lemme grab some shit and we'll bail."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Thanks again to everyone for reading and reviewing. Just want to remind the readers that this story is going to be very long by the time it's all done, so please bear with me. I hope nobody gets bored and loses interest lol!

**Chapter 8**

Skip went in the back room for a minute and came out with a surfboard and some wetsuit gear. Nathan, Kathy and Jess filed out of the shop behind him. Outside, Skip turned to the closest person to him, which happened to be Jess, and handed her the surfboard. "Hold this for me while I lock up," he told her, not bothering to take his cigarette out of his mouth.

Jess took the surfboard, surprised at how easily she could lift it. "Wow, I thought it would be a lot heavier than this!"

"Fiberglass over foam, babe. Gotta be light to skim those waves. And hey, you drop or ding it and I'll spank your ass – and in a way you won't enjoy, either!"

Upon hearing that line Jess almost did drop the board. Maybe that's who Jay learned his bratty attitude from, she thought with little shake of her head.

Skip locked the shop door and took the board back. They all jumped into his truck which was parked in front of the shop, the surfboard and Nathan both ensconced in the back as the girls squeezed into the cab with Skip. It only took a couple of minutes to drive a few blocks to a beach parking area almost lost amid tall condos and warehouses.

"Everyone out," Skip commanded as he turned off the ignition. He retrieved the board and they all walked down to the looming pier. Up close it was even more decrepit and creaky than Jess had realized. Why was it allowed to stay, she wondered. It was obviously well past redemption and looked as though it would all collapse into the ocean at any minute. Perhaps the city was hoping the waves would knock it down to save them the cost. The little group walked across a debris-filled parking lot with grass growing out of the cracks in the pavement, keeping close together. Jess just hoped it was still too early in the day for the crazed vagrants. Or for any random gang violence to break out.

They got to the pier itself and followed Skip underneath it as he negotiated a rough path through the rotting pilings. "Watch where you walk, you might trip over rebar or a part of a ride," he warned Jess in particular.

"Yeah, and look out for broken surfboards," Nathan half-joked. Jess threw him a quick questioning glance and he nodded a confirmation. "You'll see what I mean in a minute."

And a minute later they had reached the Cove and Jess did indeed see what he meant. Four-to-six foot waves were rolling by in sets, seemingly amplified by the Cove's layout, built as it was to make a square U shape with the top of the U open to the water. All three sides were bordered with huge pilings, some half-broken off and some leaning at odd angles. None of them looked like they'd be pleasant for a board or a rider to hit as the debris swirling around the back of the Cove attested. Several parts of smashed boards were bobbing around amid the yellowish foam, assorted rubbish and pilings, mute but powerful attestations to the dangerous surfing conditions.

"Toldja," Nathan said a bit smugly. "If the pilings don't get ya then underwater debris will. This is by far the most dangerous place to surf in California."

Jess definitely could believe that. She decided it was a good time to break out her first bit of California slang: "That's gnarly, all right."

Nathan nodded. "Damn right it is," he agreed.

Out in the Cove just past the breaking waves were eight or nine surfers on a variety of colorful boards. All were clad in some form of wetsuit gear. Jess went to the edge of the sand to dip her hand in the water and guessed its temperature was in the mid-50s or so. Three young men also in wetsuits came out of the pilings to their left, drove their surfboards nose-first into the wet and called out hellos to Skip, who hailed them back. "Chris! PC! What's up, Red Dog?" Jess recognized the last two guys from the day before at Bicknell Hill, but the first one, Chris, was new to her. He was a littler shorter than her own 5'7" height, with straggly blonde hair with a wide nose and a longish face. PC was another snub-nosed, freckle-faced hot guy with the requisite long streaked brown hair. And Red Dog obviously earned the nickname from his straight dark strawberry blonde mane. He had classic Irish features to go with it and Jess decided that after Stacy and Jay he was the third-best looking local guy she'd seen. PC and Red Dog high-fived Nathan, hugged Kathy and gave Jess some curious glances but only nodded to her by way of greeting.

"So you guys got some good waves after all," Skip said as observed the ocean.

"Yeah, going strong all day," PC confirmed. "Jeff's caught so many it's not funny."

"He's gotta be freezin' his balls off, wetsuit or not," Skip muttered as he surveyed the lineup. "Where is he now…oh, there he is."

Everyone turned to look at the surfers, who were getting ready to catch the next set that was about to roll in. Jess spotted Tony's distinctive curly mop, hardly diminished in size by being wet. Near him was Jay in a red wetsuit. A little farther to Jay's left was a 20ish looking Asian man with shoulder-length hair on a bright red and orange board. As they all watched, a good wave swept into the Cove and all the surfers began paddling hard to catch it. The Asian guy was the first to pop up into riding position. "Yeah! Charge it, Jeff!" Skip yelled. Tony caught the wave as did Jay and two of the other surfers, both of whom looked a little older than the rest. To Jess's horror the one farthest to the right was being swept by the wave straight toward the pilings. "Holy shit you guys!" Chris yelled. "Bummit's going for it!"

"Bummit?" Jess mumbled. Kathy quickly explained: "His real name's Craig." Then they said no more but just watched as the rouge surfer nimbly steered his board between the pilings, missing them by inches as the onlookers cheered wildly. "I don't see how that fucker even swims with balls of steel like that," Skip mumbled in awe.

Jess wrenched her eyes away from Bummit and spotted Jay already paddling back out to catch the next wave with Tony close behind him.

PC zipped his suit back up. "Going back out, see you guys later."

"Me too," Red Dog said as he wrenched his board out of the sand.

"Yeah, I'll suit up and paddle out in a minute," Skip called after them. They watched the proceedings for a few more minutes, then Skip took off his shoes, shirt, shades and love bead necklace, putting them into a heap on the sand. "Look after that, willya?" he asked the girls as he struggled into his wetsuit. "No prob Skipper," Kathy assured him.

After Skip left them to join the surfers' lineup, Kathy picked up Skip's belongings and turned to Jess. "Hey, you wanna go up top and watch the guys from there?"

"Sure," Jess agreed.

"Hey Chris, walk us up there ok?" Chris sullenly nodded agreement. Jess decided he was definitely the quiet type. She remembered what her mom always said about the quiet ones – gotta watch out. They walked out from the pilings and up a rusty staircase that led to the upper level of the pier where all the rides were. Kathy motioned for Jess to follow her to a railing overlooking the Cove where they had a 2nd story view of the action.

Jess turned to Chris. "You're not going back down?"

Chris shook his head. "Nah, I've done for the day. This crappy wetsuit leaks anyway."

They all stood in silence and watched the surfers for a little while. Jess found it hard to say who was the best – they were all amazing. At one point Jay caught a wave in just the right spot and steered under a fallen piling on the far left hand side of the Cove. "Yeah, he got the Angle Piling!" Kathy cheered. "He's gonna be so stoked 'cause of that."

"Ahh, that ain't no big deal," Chris muttered, but subsided at a dirty look from Kathy.

"Do you surf at all?" Jess asked the older girl.

"Sometimes, but not here. As far as I know, no girls ever surf the Cove."

This piqued Jess's curiosity. "How come?"

Kathy elucidated. "For a start, you gotta be really good or the Mob – those are the regulars here - won't let you in. And on top of that, it's really dangerous. I mean, you saw how close Bummit came to those pilings. Guys get wiped out and injured here all the time. They say it's no place for a girl to surf and none of us have ever challenged it."

"What would happen if some girl tried to surf here anyway?"

"She'd never get in the water. Someone like Skip or Bummit would bodily pick her up and throw her out if she insisted. Why, you wanting to try it?" she asked with a wink.

Jess shook her head. "Noo, just wondering. I've never even stood on a surfboard!"

"But to answer your question, yeah I surf, but not here obviously," Kathy continued. "Sometimes I go to Ballona Creek down near Marina and sometimes to that spot over there" – she pointed to the ocean off to the right side of the pier – "we call that the Tees."

Just as Jess was about to ask why the spot was called that, they heard people climbing up the staircase. Females, by the sound of their chattering voices and laughter. Jess hoped against hope that none of them were the ones she'd run into the day before, in particular Angel or Karen. Even Kathy probably wouldn't be able to save Jess from their wrath when they saw Jess had disobeyed their orders to stay away from P.O.P.

As the girls came into sight, Jess felt a stab of fear impale her gut – it was indeed the same group of girls and Karen and Angel were heading up the posse. They spotted Kathy first and gave her friendly waves and smiles, which immediately vanished as they laid eyes on Jess, who stood paralyzed, unsure what to do. In that moment she wanted to jump over the railing and throw herself on the mercy of the wave and debris filled Cove rather than face that crowd again.

Then the merciful Fates handed her a break – the last person up the stairs was Deb, the cool Dogtown girl who had done such beautiful work with her hair earlier that morning. Jess sagged against the railing in relief.

The girls walked up to where Kathy, Chris and Jess were standing and Deb came around everyone to pointedly give Jess a big hug. "Hey girl, didn't think I'd see ya again so soon! This is my little sis Allie." Deb beckoned to the girl who had been skating in a sundress the day before (today wearing conservative burgundy cords and a tunic-like sweater) and she came up to shake Jess's hand and give her a shy smile. "I met Jess today at the salon. She's really cool, man!" Deb loudly asserted, causing most of the girls to nod in agreement. But Angel and Karen remained skeptical despite the ringing endorsement from the older girl. Karen crossed her arms over her ample chest and glared but Angel spoke up. "I see you couldn't stay away from here like you were told, huh?" she sneered at Jess.

"Chill out, Angel," Kathy cautioned. "Skip brought her here and if he thinks she's ok then she's ok. Ok?"

At the mention of Skip's name Angel backed down, but it was evident in her look that she was pissed off at being denied a chance to hand Jess an ass-kicking, probably while Karen held her down. But she couldn't resist one last challenge. "If Skip says you can hang out here, that's fine-" (Ha! As if she had any say in the matter, Jess thought cynically.) "-but don't go thinking that you can start talking to Stacy. He will _always_ be off limits to you and if ya got a problem with that we can throw down right now, chica!" As she spoke Angel balled her hands into fists and stepped toward Jess, who wisely stood her ground and made no threatening response.

Deb stepped up to Jess's defense. "Look you guys, we only just met but you gotta believe me, she's not after Stacy. Are ya Jess?"

"No, I'm really not," Jess tried to assure them. "I've never spoken a word to him and he's never even looked at me. There's no interest on either side there, honest."

And don't you realize he's _TAKEN!_, she wanted to scream at Angel. Vent your anger on him for seeing a non-local and leave me out of this!

"No real woman would go for a freestyle fag like him anyway," Chris broke in.

Angel immediately reached out and clouted him, scoring a direct hit to his ear without even looking in his direction. He retreated behind the girls, rubbing the side of his head and muttering curses under his breath.

"Unlike you, he'd know what to do with a real woman," Karen snarled as he passed her. As she towered over him by six inches he wisely forewent a reply to that.

"Yeah, skating freestyle doesn't make you a fag," Angel stated as the other girls all nodded their agreement. "I mean, Tony can do freestyle and he definitely ain't no homo!"

"S'right, my man TA knows what to do with real women too!" Karen asserted.

"Too bad _you'll_ never know," Chris muttered, forgetting himself already. In fury Karen turned around and slapped him as well, it not being his day in Dogtown.

Jess was starting to enjoy this exchange now that the vitriol was no longer being directed at her. She wanted to giggle as Chris turned on his heel and stomped down the rickety stairs but stifled the impulse at the sight of the serious looks on the other girls' faces. She wanted to do whatever it took to stay on these girls' good side, a recommendation from Deb and Kathy notwithstanding.

Unfortunately her amusement was to be short lived. Angel faced her once again. "So I heard you and Jay talking yesterday. You like him?"

Jess still wasn't sure how she felt about the brash boy with the angelic face and the demonic mannerisms. But she needed to get this crowd off her back, so she nodded affirmatively. "Yeah, he's cute but I don't know if he really likes me."

Oh, I think he does," Angel informed her.

"You want us to talk to him?" Karen asked a bit too helpfully. Again Jess suppressed the urge to laugh out loud. Their motives were so transparent! If they couldn't drive her out of Dogtown they would get her together with the fractious Jay so she wouldn't compete with them for Stacy and Tony. As if either of those two guys had showed the slightest bit of interest in her anyway! She decided to play along with their little game. After all, Jay was pretty cute. And who knew, maybe he'd be a totally different person when they were alone. She had known several guys like that back home – arrogant little jerks when their buddies were around but really nice when it was just the two of them talking. That sort of behavior seemed to be wired into the young male ego but what can ya do, she thought to herself, adding a mental shrug.

"Um, thanks, but why don't I just try to get him alone sometime and see how he acts?" Jess suggested.

"Yeah! Get him alone-" Angel started to reply.

"-And drunk!" Karen finished for her. All the girls including Jess cracked up laughing. Angel appeared to have an idea. "Hey, I bet Skip has a party at the shop tonight. If he does, you need to work your mojo on Jay tonight. Strike while the iron is hot, girl!"

Yep, and while Stacy is out of town too so I'll be good and taken by the time he gets back, Jess thought ruefully. Man, you guys are so obvious! "Good plan," she replied casually as Angel and Karen gave each other crafty smiles.

"Hey, does Jay even know you're here? We should go down and find him," Angel suggested with a fake-nice smile for Jess.

Jess returned it with a bogus smile of her own. "Sure, why not?"

--------End of Chapter 8 --------


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

A little over an hour later everyone was back at the Zephyr shop and the party was just getting started. Jeff was manning the grill in an open area behind the store while Skip, beer in hand, handed him hamburger patties and hot dogs to throw on. Various surfer and skater guys, many with girlfriends or dates in tow, were milling around mostly talking about the heavy session that had gone down that day at POP. Jess stuck fairly close to Kathy and Deb, who were holding down a prime spot inside the shop along with the other older girls. The younger girls were scattered around inside and outside the shop in groups of twos or threes, mostly scoping out guys and whispering amongst themselves. They had indeed gotten her to talk to Jay after he finished surfing – practically pushed her at him in fact – but he was somewhat more subdued today, exhausted after surfing almost nonstop since 7am in chilly waters. He did work up another mischevious grin and a few more suggestive lines for Jess, but so far he had yet to act on his impulses. At the moment he was in the main salesroom of the shop working on his second Budwieser and talking enthusiastically to Red Dog and Nathan about testing out Jeff's newest board. The conversation was hard to make out over the Foghat cranking out of the shop's stereo system, but Jess was able to conclude from Jay's facial expressions and vocal tone that the new design was a winner. From the other corner Angela gave her a "go for it" look but Jess was a little reluctant to intrude on the conversation. She took another small sip of her beer, trying to work up the courage to approach him. She definitely felt mutual sparks of attraction but wasn't sure if she could handle the rowdy blonde surfer boy. But getting a little buzz would definitely help. She took a bigger swallow of beer.

"Slow Ride" came on the stereo and many of the kids started grooving where they stood, food plates and drinks in hand. Skip and Jeff's voices could be heard clearly over the din. One of the more clean-cut surfers asked Kathy to dance and after the barest hesitation she agreed. Things were definitely picking up a bit.

A minute later Kathy's brother Tony strode in with three beautiful girls and a twentyish guy who was far too well-dressed and prosperous to be a local, but everyone seemed to hail him as a good friend if not a hero. Cries of: "Heyyyy, Bunker!" "S'up dude?" "Alright, it's Bunker!" follwed him as the little group approached Skip and Jeff, who eagerly shook hands with the black leisure-suited man. Jess saw Kathy throw an uncertain glance toward her brother and his buddy but kept on dancing. The other members of the Zephyr team greeted the new arrivals cordially but quickly went back to their own conversations as Tony and Bunker moved into the next room and were lost from view. Jess threw a questioning look at Deb, who briefly elucidated for her: "That guy who came with Tony is named Bunker Spreckles. He's kind of a rich guy-turned surfer type. Heir to a big fortune. And check this out – his mother is married to Clark Gable! Anyway, he met Tony a few months ago surfing at Malibu and they've been good friends ever since."

"Wow, no kidding," Jess said with raised eyebrows. "Kathy didn't look very happy to see her brother with him though, did you notice that?"

"Yeah, I think she's afraid that Bunker will turn Tony on to the harder drugs or something. But I can't see TA doing that. He's above all that crap. I think he's more into Bunker's groupies than anything!" Deb laughed.

"I heard that," Jess agreed. "They looked like models or something, huh?"

"Pssh, plenty more where they came from. You never see Bunker with the same girl twice. Or Tony for that matter," Deb confided. Jess could only shake her head. Good thing she wasn't attracted to the curly-haired Latino Z-boy or she'd be gunning for a heartache for sure. She covertly glanced over at Karen, the Dogtown girl who was gunning to be Tony's girlfriend and saw a mixed look of anger and disappointment on her face. The sight made Jess almost feel bad for her. Almost. Suddenly a guy spoke up from right behind her right shoulder, almost making her spill her beer.

"Hey, hot stuff. Why you being so shy?" Jay, of course. Jess turned to face him as Deb discreetly moved away to give them privacy.

With a little flip of her hair, Jess put her head to one side and pretended to pout. "Didn't think you were going to talk to me, Jay," she said as coquettishly as possible. The beer was definitely kicking in a bit, which helped a lot.

Jay gave a little laugh in response and picked up a lock of her hair where it spilled over her shoulder. "You changed this since yesterday, didn't ya?"

"Yeah, you like it?"

He just shrugged. "Guess so. It's all the same to me, really." His intense gaze met hers. "I mean, it's not really your _hair_ I'm interested in, ya know?"

"Oh, umm…yeah," was the best Jess could do in response. She was pretty sure a blush was starting to rise in her cheeks and hoped the lighting was too dim for Jay to notice.

"So you wanna go talk someplace more quiet?" Jay asked, but took her hand and led her to the back room of the shop before she could even reply. Her heart started to pound frantically – what was he going to do, talk to her? Kiss her? Feel her up? Or…? She willed herself to stay cool. After all, the shop was full of people who would surely come to her rescue if Jay tried anything stupid…wouldn't they?

The back room was clearly a combination of office and workshop, with boards and board-making supplies and equipment scattered all over the place. Jess felt relieved when Jay left the door slightly ajar behind them. Maybe he's not going to try anything stupid, she thought to herself. Although she was no stranger to boys' attentions, she had never let any of the guys back home get too far with her, just a few makeout sessions with some mild touching through clothing.

Jay hopped up on a worktable and motioned for Jess to sit on it next to him. He took a drink from his beer. "So Jess, what do you think of Dogtown so far?"

"It's cool. Everyone here is pretty nice. Mostly," was her diplomatic reply.

"Mostly." Jay chuckled before he took another swig of beer. "Hey, I'm not gonna bullshit you – this place can be a hellhole, but it's _our_ hellhole, ya know? The only other place I'd ever live would be Hawaii," he confessed. "You ever been there?"

Jess shook her head. "This is the farthest west I've ever been."

"You should go there sometime. It's total paradise. Maybe I'll take ya one day," he offered as his face softened and his hand came up to caress a strand of her hair again. Her heartrate began to pick up once more. "I like you, Jess," he whispered as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and brought his boyishly handsome face close to hers, clearly preparing to kiss her.

"Umm-" Jess started to protest, but Jay hushed her. "Hey, it's all cool, baby. I mean it – I really like you. You're different." But how would you even _know_, Jess started to think, but then Jay's mouth was on hers in a gentle but insistent kiss that lasted for several seconds.

Jay pulled away a bit and looked into her eyes again. "I really like you," he restated as his hand slowly traveled down from her shoulder to her arm and then her hand. "I wanna get with you," he continued. "You an' me, let's make something happen. Y'dig?"

Jess swallowed and nodded. Why did she still have to feel so unsure about everything? She chided herself for her reluctance and took stock of the situation. Jay really was a lot nicer when the other guys weren't around, he was definitely into her and frankly, he was a pretty good kisser, too. She decided to roll with the situation for as long as it felt comfortable but resolved not to let it get too far. She looked into Jay's eyes and gave him her answer, blunt Eastern style: "Ok, but just so long as you know that I don't put out for guys I barely know."

Jay did laugh then, as he brought his face close to hers again, touching his forehead to hers. "Baby, we got all the time in the world to get to know each other," he growled, cupping her chin in one hand. Now c'mon, gimme another kiss like that first one."

------End of Chapter 9------


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Jess schooled herself to just relax as Jay brought his mouth to hers again, giving her another kiss that was longer and more intense than the first, but it was still closed-mouth. They broke apart for a moment and he gave her a slinky, sidewise smile as he caressed her hair with one hand. "See, I'm not such a bad guy am I?" he quipped cheekily. Jess had to smile back because he seemed to be right and this gentler dimension of his personality was intriguing. The next time Jay leaned forward to kiss her Jess met him halfway and slipped her arms around his narrow waist to get a little closer. Over the next few minutes their kisses intensified gradually until the tip of Jay's tongue was just touching Jess's lower lip, persuading for entry. She hestitated just a bit – what if he's a really sloppy french kisser? she wondered. Well, guess this how I find out – then opened her mouth slightly and allowed him access. To her relief he didn't jam his tongue down her throat or – even worse – slobber all over the place, but just continued a slow, gentle exploration that made her heartrate accelerate faster than the Concorde. As they kissed, Jay's hands roamed down from her hair to her shoulders and back, then around to cup her ribcage just below her braline, causing her to tense a little bit. He seemed content to keep his hands there though, so she relaxed again and leaned a bit closer into him, liking the feel of his wiry body against her side. He didn't seem to have an ounce of fat on him, just taut muscle beneath smooth skin. Feeling a bit emboldened she let her own hands slide around his back to caress his shoulderblades where they jutted beneath his dark blue Zephyr team shirt. Mischievously she let her nails gently dig into the fabric to lightly dent his flesh, earning a low-pitched growl and a quick admonition from Jay. "Hey, I'm tryin' to be good here so don't tempt me, girl!"

Jess giggled. "Sorry, just wanted to see what you'd do," she confessed.

Jay pulled away from her a bit and gave her a wicked raised-eyebrow look. "Well, if there's more where that came from then I think you can guess what I'd do!"

"Hey, you never know…" Jess came back with a wink, but Jay just gave a little snort of laughter. "C'mon baby, too much talking and not enough makin' out." He pulled her back to him and took up where they left off, making each kiss a little deeper and more intense. Jess let him, since he was still being relatively well behaved and his skills were quite decent. She wondered how often he'd done this and suddenly another question popped into her head that she _had_ to know the answer to. Before she could stop herself she tore her lips from his and blurted out, "Hey, how old are you anyway?"

Jay flicked back his blonde locks with one hand and shot her a brief look of barely suppressed annoyance at being interrupted again. "Almost sixteen, does it matter?" he shot.

For a moment Jess was floored. 15! Holy moly, she had _no_ idea he was that age! In her mind he was practically still a boy, technically. She was thinking he was 17 going on 18 like she was. She looked down for a moment at Jay's large, tanned hands, which were still placed just above her waist. Admittedly they didn't really look like they belonged to a boy. He didn't exactly kiss like a boy either. And Jess would know the difference, having tested the making out skills of several guys back home.

When she didn't reply Jay exhaled noisily and reached out to bury his fingers in the back of Jess's hair, intent on pulling her back in, murmuring "C'mon, let's not worry about stupid shit like ages…gimme some more of what you got…" Jess closed her eyes, returned his kiss and resolved on the spot not to worry about the age difference. After all, they weren't in a hurry. Or at least she wasn't but maybe Jay was, she thought with a bit of alarm as her makeout partner's right hand stole upward and began fumbling with her bra strap. As she was about to warn him off, they were interrupted by the strident sound of the beige phone attached to the wall a couple of feet from the table where they were sitting. They just stared at it in irritation as it rang two…three…four times. "Someone gonna get that?" Jess mumbled.

Jay turned an impish grin on Jess. "Check this out-" He picked up the phone and in a close approximation of a radio DJ's voice sang out, "Jay's 24-hour surf shop and marijuana emporium, Jay speaking, how can I not help you today?" as Jess giggled helplessly at his ready wit. But a second later his face fell as an annoyed male voice came booming out of the reciever loud enough for Jess to hear: "Jayboy! Get your ass home on the double, I need you to help me with your mom. She's out of control and about to wreck this place and we need to get her calmed down asap!" Behind the speaker's voice Jess could hear a woman's voice alternatively yelling incomprehensible words and shrieking. It sounded to her a bit like wolves fighting and she could only wonder at the scene that was going down at the other end of the phone.

Chastened, Jay could only mutter, "Yeah okay, Kent. All I got's my skateboard, so it might take me a few minutes to get there."

"I'll get Evan to come pick you up, he's right outside. We don't need another visit from the cops, man. Just get over here and let's get her mellowed out." And with that the caller hung up.

Jay sat looking at the phone reciever as it hummed its dial tone, then slammed it back down on its hook and shoved himself off the tabletop, shooting Jess an apologetic glance as his feet hit the floor. "That was my stepdad. Uhh…sometimes my mom goes off on rages and I'm the only one who can get her cooled out again." Jess nodded as understandingly as possible. What kind of home life does this guy have, she wondered privately.

Jay continued his explanation as he helped her off the table and urged her toward the door. "Anyway, she's in one of her moods and our neighbor's coming to pick me up 'cuz it's faster than me skating home and…yeah, well…" his voice trailed off awkwardly as he looked down at the floor and thrust his hands into his front pockets, all his brashness dispelled for the moment.

Jess reached up and gently clasped his shoulder, trying to dispel his discomfort. "It's cool, Jay. I probably need to get home myself."

They left the workroom and walked back out into the shop, where the party was in full swing. Bachman Turner Overdrive had replaced Foghat on the stereo, now cranked to near-painful volume. Jay got his skateboard out from under a couch currently being occupied by Nathan, PC and one of the girls who had arrived with Tony and Bunker. Nearby, Kathy was deep in conversation with the clean-cut surfer who had asked her to dance earlier and from the flirtatious glances she was giving him, it looked as though they might be hitting it off. Angel and Karen broke off pumping out refills at the beer keg and flashed Jess knowing smiles. She pretended not to notice them as she followed Jay out of the shop to the sidewalk where several other partygoers were standing around swigging beer from bottles in blatant defiance of the open container laws.

Jay turned to face Jess. "I guess Evan will be here in a minute. We only live a few blocks away. Hell, I coulda skated there quick enough. She must really be flipping out…" his voice died away again as he stared at the cracked sidewalk, clearly contemplating the situation that awaited him back at home.

"Well, I'm sure everything will be ok," Jess ventured, trying to sound upbeat but falling just short of the mark. After all, what could one really say in a moment like this – gee, sorry your mom's nuts, hope it's not hereditary?

Jay shrugged despondently. "Ahh, who fuckin' knows? Shit, man! I dunno," Jay growled as he viciously kicked an empty beer can into the gutter. Jess decided that silence was the best option at that point.

30 seconds later a dark green Chevy Nova whipped around the corner and roared to a stop in front of the shop. "Jayboy! Let's go," the driver yelled through the open passenger side window over the noise of the 396 V-8 engine.

Jay turned to Jess and gave her a genuinely apologetic look. "So uhh…see ya back here again soon maybe?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure, as long as the others don't mind me hanging out."

Jay rolled his eyes a bit as he pulled her into one more tight embrace against his hard chest. "Ahh, don't be stupid. If you're cool with me then you're cool with everyone, got it?" He gave her a final kiss then gently pushed her away and turned her away from him by the shoulders as though he was slightly embarrassed by his display of warmth. "Someone in there should be sober enough to give you a ride home. See ya later, gator!" And with that deftly slid through the passenger window into the Nova as it pulled off from the curb and roared off. "After a while, crocodile," Jess murmured over her shoulder after the car's taillights as they faded into the chilly night.

She went straight back into the shop, aware of many sets of eyes on her and trying not to feel self-conscious. She scouted around for Deb or Kathy but neither were in sight. But Angel certainly was, and she pounced with a vengeance, ready for the whole scoop: "So you guys were in the back alone for a little while, huh? How did it go? C'mon, you can tell me," the Dogtown girl slurred with a laviscious wink. Jess understood her nosiness but was a bit taken aback at her sudden change in attitude. It was only a few hours before that Angel had been ready to fight, and now she was trying to be all buddy-buddy. How quickly we forget, Jess thought, trying not to roll her eyes.

"I'd say it went pretty well," she replied with a quick smile.

"And how well is 'pretty well'?" Angel smirked as she dug a pointy elbow into Jess's side.

"Just…well enough, I guess," Jess quipped evasively, but it wasn't enough to satisfy Angel.

"So you gonna see him again? And how come he left here so fast anyway?"

"Yeah, does he turn into a pumpkin at midnight or something?" This came from Karen, who had apparently been listening in from behind Jess. She seemed to be even drunker than Angel and kept casting derogatory glances toward the other room where Tony and Bunker were still holed up, clearly miffed at not being invited to sit with them.

Jess wanted to tell them to piss off and mind their own business, but knew she was still on thin ice with them and probably always would be. Time to dissemble: "I think he said his mom wasn't feeling well or something."

Angel and Karen exchanged a meaningful raised-eyebrows look and Jess realized she'd still given too much away. Oops.

"Yeah, his mom gets 'sick' a lot," Karen muttered with a slight smirk.

Angel nodded in agreement. "Philaine is cool and we all love her but she just has little…episodes, I guess," she explained.

"Oh, she's a true homegirl," Karen quickly chimed in. "She's taught a lot of us local girls how to surf and she'd give you the shirt off her back. She's just a little…moody sometimes, that's all."

Jess, lost in thought about what Jay must be going through, just nodded in response.

"But hey, don't worry about Jay," Karen advised as though she could read Jess's mind. "He looks out for Philaine and she looks out for him. They do fine."

"I'm sure they do," Jess replied tactfully, then thought of an excuse to get away. "Hey, where's the bathroom?" The girls pointed the way and Jess quickly walked away in that direction. To her relief neither girl tried to follow her. As she made her way into the next room she she had to pass close to the couch where Tony and Bunker were holding court. Tony was so stoned he was wearing sunglasses despite the fact that he was indoors and it was going on 11pm. This of course gave him cause to tip them down the bridge of his nose and peer over the rims at Jess as she tried to casually saunter by. He raised his eyebrows suggestively at her but she only smiled briefly and kept on going. Tony's cute, but he intimidates the crap out of me for some reason, she thought as she got in the bathroom line behind two other girls doing the "gotta-pee-right-now" shuffle. And anyway, I've got enough to handle with Jay. I really have no idea where things might go with him, she continued musing as she waited.

Five minutes later she got her turn then quickly went back out into the main store room in search of some familiar and friendly faces. She saw Deb standing by the counter with Kathy, the clean-cut guy, and some of the Cove surfers and beelined over.

Deb promptly swept Jess up in a big drunken bear hug. "Heyyyy girl! I wondered where you got to! Me and Bummit were gonna form up a searching party for ya," Deb teased.

Jess grinned. "Oh, I was just talking to Jay in the back, but he left. Hey, do you know anyone who can give me a ride home? I live in South Venice, it's not that far."

The clean cut guy with Kathy spoke up. "I can take you. I live in Marina and I'm about ready to go anyway."

"Aww, that's so sweet of you, Andy!" Kathy cooed.

"Yeah, I live in that direction too. I'll come with you guys. Gotta work tomorrow," Deb groaned. Andy got Kathy's number and gave her a chaste parting kiss on the cheek, then he, Jess and Deb headed to the front exit, making their goodbyes as they went. Outside, Skip was standing on the sidewalk with Red Dog and a few other surfer-type guys Jess didn't recognize. "I'm gonna go pull my car around, be right back," Andy informed them, then jogged off around the corner.

"You guys bookin' huh?" Skip asked laconically.

"Yep, early night for us," Deb quipped.

"Buncha pantywaists," Skip joked as he hugged Deb goodbye. Jess stuck out her hand for him to shake but he barked with laughter and hugged her instead. "You're cool, girl. Come hang out here again sometime ok?"

"Thanks, I will," Jess replied as casually as possible. "Nice to meet you, Skip." She and Deb walked to the curb to wait for their ride home. Out of the blue Deb gave a little snort of laughter, causing Jess to throw her a quizzical look.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how Kathy rags on Angel for liking a nice guy like Stacy Peralta, when this guy Andy is _really_ mild-mannered and harmless," Deb chuckled.

"Yeah, Stacy doesn't really seem like the kind of guy that Angel would be into," Jess mused aloud. "You'd think she'd be after someone like Jay."

Deb grinned wryly. "Just between you and me and anyone else who might be listening, she get up with Jay for a little while, but it didn't exactly go like she wanted it to."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. She wanted to tame Jay, make him into a nice guy…someone she could handle…no way in hell. So now she's got her sights on a guy she feels she can push around from the start, ya know?"

"Well…good luck to her," was all Jess could diplomatically say.

"She'd need it. I think if she ever got a hold of him, she'd find that Stacy isn't quite the little mama's boy she thinks he is," Deb murmured cryptically. Just then, a '67 powder-blue Ford Mustang came into view around the corner. "And speaking of _real _mama's boys, here's Andy."

-----End of Chapter 10-----


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **Short, more filler and background info. Things will pick up again soon, I promise!

**Chapter 11**

The following Monday morning dawned much colder with grey sheets of rain, the first time Jess had seen any real precipitation since she had arrived in Southern California. Since she was still without a car Jess had to bike to college through intermittent showers while wearing a heavy jacket, hood up tightly over her head. As sloppy as the weather was, she knew it was still nothing compared to the piles of snow and evil slippery ice that everyone was dealing with back in South Jersey and felt grateful yet again that her mother hadn't chosen a really Arctic-like place to move, like Toronto.

When she took a seat at her customary desk in Geometry class, she was unsurprised to see many of her fellow students were absent, including Stacy. If she wasn't so used to it, she wouldn't have felt like going out in these conditions either.

After her last class ended she headed straight for the clothing boutique to begin her first day on the job. Luckily business was slow so Evie had plenty of time to show Jess all the nuances of retail sales. The pretty African-American manager seemed relieved that her new hire was a quick study and after a while she became chatty about non-work related topics.

"So have you made a lot of new friends here yet?" Evie inquired as she helped Jess tag a new shipment of long peasant skirts.

"A few, I guess." Jess related the main events of the past weekend, about meeting the Dogtowners at Bicknell Hill, the session at P.O.P. and a brief rundown of the Zephyr shop party, leaving out the cattiness from the other girls, her makeout session with Jay and the incident involving Jay's mom.

Evie nodded understandingly. "Yeah, my little brother Marty skates with those guys sometimes when he's not busy with his oh-so demanding girlfriend."

Jess smirked sarcastically. "Oh, gotta love girls like that."

"Yeah, especially when they find a sugar-sweet guy to be at their beck and call," Evie grumbled. "I mean, I love the boy and all, but he's a total pushover! Oh well, as long as she doesn't break his heart."

Hmm, Marty sounds just like the kind of guy Angel wants, Jess thought with a private snicker. Too bad he's also seeing someone else. Maybe it _is_ true that all of the good ones are taken…

Evie glanced up at the big Mickey Mouse clock that adorned the wall beside the register. "Almost four-thirty. I think you're cool to take off for the day, Jess. Probably gonna close up at five today, dead as it's been here."

Jess got up and pulled on her jacket, automatically flipping the hood up to cover her long dark hair although the view out of the front window revealed that the rain had quit falling. "When do you want me to come back…if you _do_ want me back?"

"Oh! Yeah, I think you'll work out," her new boss replied with a grin. "Come back on Wednesday afternoon and I'll have a regular schedule made out for you."

"Great! See you then!"

Jess cycled through the Venice streets for home, hoping the rain would hold off for the trip. It did, but moments after grabbing the mail and letting herself in, a new squall line began rolling in with dusk hard behind it. Her mom wasn't home from work yet so the house was dark. She flipped on the tall lamp by the couch and began sifting through the mail, giving a squeak of delight when she saw one of the letters was addressed to her. It was from Naomi, her best friend and former schoolmate back in Philadelphia. Naomi was in the grade below hers and was now in her senior year, Jess having graduated last year. Seeing her name written in her friend's distinctive loopy scrawl on the envelope made Jess really miss the East Coast for the first time since she had moved out West, and her eyes involuntarily began to mist. Not wanting her mom to come home and find her bawling on the couch, she took the letter into her room, carefully opened it, and began reading:

_Jess! Dear God, you have no idea how much I miss you right now and how disbelieving I am that you're gone and all we have are some pieces of paper and the occasional phone call to communicate. Poor substitute for the way it used to be, huh?_

_Anyway, how is California treating you? Did you find a job yet? Does the sun shine all the time (well, not at night obviously but you get the idea!) Are the boys as cute as the ones on TV? And most importantly, can you get decent bagels and lox out there, or am I going to have to send you guys a care package? Ha, ha! Ok, that's enough questions. There's not a whole lot of news to talk about from here, really. We had about a foot of snow over the weekend – bet you don't miss that huh? But of course everything's running like normal now. No snow days for us! Rachel G. finally dumped Bobby and now he's seeing Rachel C., which is definitely an improvement. We know how much of a phony Rachel G. has always been. Bobby's way too good for the likes of her._

_Went into the city last week and got the new ELO album and the "Dream On" single from Aerosmith. Do you have it yet? Steven Tyler is sooo foxy. Sigh! The guy at the record store said there's going to be a Ramones album coming out soon, too. It better be as good as their live shows. Speaking of shows, have you been to any out there yet? I bet LA gets more shows than even Philly does. I'm happy for you and your mom that you got away from here but I sure do miss you. Maybe I'll get an after school job and make enough money fly out to see you, wouldn't that be the best?_

_Ok, I'm gonna quit now before I start rambling at you too much. But please write back as soon as you can and tell me all about your new life out there. And send pictures of your new house and some cute surfer boys, too! Love ya, miss ya!_

_Xoxoxo,_

_Nay-nay_

Jess smiled wryly as she refolded the letter and put it back in the envelope before placing it carefully on her bedside table. Maybe in a day or two she'd ask her mom if she could call Naomi, or maybe she would save the money and write her back instead. She missed everyone on the East Coast a lot, but if she was going to be happy in LA she would have to learn to put all that behind her and embrace the ways of the West Coast. At least so far –with one or two notable exceptions – the locals had been pretty receptive of her, which certainly helped with the adjustment. For a moment her mind flitted back to the party at the Zephyr shop and her short but interesting makeout session with Jay. What a strange turn of events that had been, she silently reflected. When would she seem him again, and what would happen? Hell, he might not even talk to her, or he could try to have her alone in the back room again within two minutes. With a guy like that, there was just no telling. The sound of the front door opening made her start from her reverie. Her mom was home – time to think about dinner instead.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Another short one. Stacy lovers, hang in there! He and the other Z-boys will drop in and make the next few chappies a little more lively...**  
**

**Chapter 12**

For the next two weeks, the days were still mostly gloomy and rainy. Whenever Jess saw it, the Pacific Ocean was leaden gray and heaving with the winter swell, bringing out determined surfers in sturdy wetsuits. Due to the colder temperatures and unpredictable rains she hadn't been back to Bicknell Hill or the surf shop, but she certainly intended to return despite the objections from some of Dogtown's female residents.

One Thursday morning early in February came a little brighter and than usual, but not a lot warmer. Unfortunately Jess' budding plans to return to Dogtown were nipped for the day when she got a groupwork assignment in her Creative Writing class. Given a complex task with a short deadline, there would be little time for larking off to flirt with skater boys or trouble. Luckily her fellow group members seemed to be equally committed to knocking the paper out in record time, so they made plans to meet up after everyone was done with class and extracurricular activities that couldn't be put off. The other female member of the group, a tall, rangy brunette named Dawn, asked Jess to meet her at the playing fields at 4 o'clock when her drill team practice would be over. She exited the building's west side, opposite from where she normally left, and walked toward the playing fields. The sound of drill team's marching drums came echoing to her across the distance, guiding her steps. As she crossed the parking lot she saw the band itself, decked out in different degrees of sportswear as it went through its routine. The only outward signs of the chilly weather showed in the flushed cheeks of the flag girls as they dutifully twirled their banners in time to the staccato beat. Dawn, clad in a red-and-white baseball jersey, was bringing up the file of cheerleaders waving rainbow-colored pom-poms. A lone figure was seated at the top far corner of the bleachers; a female with light brown hair and a fawn-colored poncho trimmed with white fur. As Jess reached the edge of the field she realized with a sinking heart that the it was Stacy's girlfriend. Strange to see her without him attached to her hip, Jess thought. Trouble in paradise? She did seem a little down- but no, as soon as the thought formed she heard someone running up behind her and quickly peeked over her shoulder –Stacy himself was approaching, his bright hair making a banner of its own in the wind as he hastened to rendezvous with his beloved. Jess resisted the devilish urge to trip him as he jogged past. Instead she skulked off to her left, keeping to the chain-link fence that bordered the field as she watched Stacy's girl rise to her feet and descend to ground level to meet him. They stood next to each other and watched the band for a while. Maybe it was wishful thinking on Jess' part, but she was pretty sure she saw Stacy checking out a couple of the banner girls a little more than he should have been. But his girl seemed oblivious and after a few minutes they drifted off toward the main road. Too bad, thought Jess. It would have been funny to see what Miss Perfect California Girl would have done if she caught her Mr. Perfect California boyfriend gaping at some spandex-clad butts.

Ten minutes later, the drill team finished practice and Dawn, sweating despite the 50-degree temperatures, came over to join Jess by the fence.

"That looks like it might be hard work but fun too," Jess observed.

"Yeah, it is," Dawn agreed. "I guess you didn't cheer back home, huh?"

"Nah, I'm not so limber."

Dawn shot her a sympathetic smile as she stretched using the fence for support, then pushed herself upright. "Ok, let me get my gym bag and then we can go to the library."

As the two girls cut across campus, Jess noticed Stacy skating in a parking lot with two other guys she didn't recognize as part of the core Zephyr crowd. As they did various freestyle moves, Stacy's girl watched from the sidelines. Was it more wishful thinking on Jess' part, or did she look vaguely bored? Jess supposed that unless she got a turn on the board it might get a little dull just watching guys skate all the time…but then Stacy pulled off an extended series of 360 spins that made his hair fly out in a perfect arc and Jess was mesmerized all over again. How could you possibly get tired of watching that? She glanced back at Stacy's girl, whose face was now suffused with a glowing smile, her light hazel eyes focused completely on Stacy. Damn, maybe she's not so bored with him after all, Jess thought ruefully. She forced herself to come out of her reverie and reluctantly sped up her pace to catch up with Dawn, who was quite unaware that her study partner had been distracted and fallen behind. Jess had to wonder about her too: how could she pass up a sight like that? Either she was completely used to seeing gorgeous skater guys doing their thing, or she didn't like guys at all. It wasn't worth contemplating further. She caught up to Dawn and tried to forget about Stacy, but it wasn't easy; he always seemed to be haunting the periphery of her existence, his presence both elusive and yet very real. And yet there was no sign of anything changing either way. Frustrating, but what else could she do except accept things for the way they were and move on? After all, Jay still had a chance and if he didn't work out, maybe she'd go with another Z-Boy like that cute Paul or perhaps Tony – he'd given her some lingering looks at that party…no, not Tony. Too arrogant, too over-the-top, too _everything_; she'd never be able to handle him.

And so with her head jammed with thoughts of errant skaters, Jess walked on to the library.


	13. Chapter 13

**Wishing…Chapter 14**

The next day began with more intermittent rain and cool temperatures, making Jess frown to herself as she set out for school, umbrella in hand. She had meant to save more money for a car but found herself spending way too much on clothes – curse Evie for getting so much hip stuff in to the boutique and giving such generous employee discounts – but she had to admit that she had never dressed better in her life. Today she was wearing burgundy cords embroidered with abstract swirling patterns, a brown leather belt and a light cream-colored fuzzy knit turtleneck, her bouncing hair pulled up and partially contained with a big leather barrette. As soon as she walked through the front door of the main classroom building she ducked in the ladies' room and applied a fresh coat of burgundy lipgloss and a touch of dark brown eye shadow. She briefly studied her reflection, then nodded with approval although inwardly she was a little bit abashed. Admittedly the biggest reason she was getting dolled up was that Stacy was in her first class and even though he had yet to acknowledge her existence and was so obviously taken, she still had hopes of attracting his attention in some small way. She knew it was pathetic and she needed to focus on other guys and forget about the unattainable blonde, but in the meantime…oh, the hell with it, Jess thought. Even if we never speak, I just want him to think of me as that mysterious brunette in Geometry. The thought caused her lips to curve into an impish grin, which she still had when she emerged from the ladies' room and saw the very object of her thoughts standing on his own outside the classroom door, waiting for the students from the class before to vacate the room so he could take his seat. Even in the dim hallway he stood out like a beacon, his shoulder-length hair loose like always, only a couple of shades darker than the white Led Zeppelin shirt he was wearing along with – oh no, we're twins today, Jess thought with an inner groan – burgundy cords held to his slender hips with a brown leather belt. At least his cords aren't embroidered and I'm not wearing a Zeppelin shirt, but still! She wanted to smack her forehead, but suddenly realized that this could be the icebreaker she'd been looking for. She took a deep breath, put some steel in her spine, and started sauntering casually toward him. Catching her movement in the periphery of his vision, Stacy looked in her direction and immediately did a double-take when he noticed her outfit. As the realization hit, he smiled briefly but with genuine amusement, almost making Jess freeze where she stood. With effort she kept on walking, wearing her best "_Yes, I know_" look. As she passed Stacy, their gazes met and he smiled again. "H'lo," he mumbled, then quickly glanced at the ground. Still, it was an opening and Jess took it. She stopped by the open door and leaned against the frame.

"Hi, how are you?" she asked breezily.

"Oh, I'm ok," he mumbled, his gaze cast toward his blue Vans and the slightest flush of pink starting to show around his cheekbones. Jess was a bit taken aback – was he shy? He didn't seem the type. Oh great, this wasn't going to be so easy after all. But she knew instinctively that this moment would set the tone for all their future meetings. What was it to be – try to make a connection but risk failing, or play it safe and keep admiring from afar? For some reason, a bit of unsolicited advice from her 10th grade softball coach came winging into her brain: "_If you're going to strike out, then at least go down swinging. That way you got nothing to be ashamed of."_ For the first time since hearing those words, Jess realized that they could apply something besides softball. She decided to take action, and the hell with the consequences.

When Stacy finally made tentative eye contact with her again a couple of seconds later, she gave him a mischevious grin and pointed to his shirt. "Y'know, if we're gonna try to dress alike then we oughta coordinate beforehand so we really match, don't you think?"

He threw his head back and guffawed with amusement, exposing teeth that were white and neat but for slightly crooked incisors. Recovering himself, he pushed his hair back from his temples and returned her smile. "Uhh, yeah, guess so. I got another Zeppelin shirt I could loan ya if you wanted," he joked.

Relieved that he was being a good sport, Jess burst into helpless laughter, instinctively bringing her hands to cover her mouth as she kept the eye contact alive. "Actually, I do have one of their shirts but it's blue," she confessed, her laughter subsiding to a muted giggle.

Stacy raised one light-colored eyebrow. "Oh, you like Led Zep?"

"Yeah, I like anything that's Rock-n-Roll," Jess stated. "Zeppelin, the Stones, Hendrix, Aerosmith…" her voice trailed off, but she could tell Stacy was impressed nonetheless.

"Aerosmith? Right on," he enthused. Jess was already entranced by the sound of his voice, which was medium-pitched and twangy with Californian intonation, rounded 'r's and all.

"Yeah, they're huge where I'm from," she informed him.

"Oh? Where are you from, anyway? I can tell it's not from here, for sure."

"Philly…well, really it's South Jersey, just outside of Philadelphia. But my dad has been living in Athens, Georgia for a few years, so I spent a few summers down there too."

Stacy nodded. "Cool. So uhh, you into any Southern Rock – y'know, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band, Allman Brothers?" he queried.

"Yeah! My dad used to ride bikes with Duane Allman before the…you know…"

This time both Stacy's eyebrows went up as surprise lit up his features. "Oh my god, Duane is like, my idol! Your dad knew him? For real?" When Jess nodded yes he collapsed back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "No way, that is so awesome," he breathed, then turned his head to face her again with a hopeful expression. "Hey, you didn't get to meet him too, did you?"

Jess shook her head sadly. "Nah, every time they were in Athens I was up North with my mom."

"Aww, that's too bad. I would have loved to have met him and just talk about…anything, ya know?"

"Oh yeah," Jess empathized. Secretly, she was thrilled to have accidentally stumbled onto the perfect topic to pique Stacy's interest. He'll definitely notice me from now on, she thought triumphantly.

Their classmates began to file into the room, followed by the instructor. Stacy gave a reluctant sigh as he watched the progression. "Well, guess they're starting."

"Yeah." Jess gave him a wry smile. "Nice talking to you though, umm…"

"Stacy." He stuck out his left hand, making Jess change her grip on her book bag so she could shake it with her own left hand.

"Jess."

"Jess from South Jersey and sometimes Georgia," he quipped with another shy sideways grin.

She gave him a sweet little smile of her own. "Yeah, that'll work." Stacy made the classic "after you"gesture, ushering her into the room in front of him. They were the last to enter the classroom and take their seats. Throughout the lecture they didn't even look in each other's direction, but Jess was even more cognizant of his presence than usual; the temptation to glance his way was really strong. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing, but decided not. He probably just wanted to make small talk with some random girl to kill time and she happened to be the one. But hey, they'd spoken at last. It was a small but notable victory.

When class ended, she got out the door first, since Stacy was still copying formulas from the board. Slightly dismayed at not being able to continue their conversation, she started walking slowly toward the main exit but stopped short at the sound of Stacy's voice ringing out down the hall as he jogged up behind her: "Hey Jess! I'm gonna wear an orange shirt and blue jeans next time, ok?"

She spun around, cracking up with laughter again, and gave him a pretend pout. "Oh, but I don't own anything orange. What'll we do?" she mock-wailed.

Stacy hunched his shoulders and pretended to think for a moment. "Guess we'll just have to do the twin thing some other time," he quipped with a little shrug and a crooked smile.

"Guess so," Jess replied, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. Not that she really wanted them to dress alike; just to make a connection that would last for more than a couple of short conversations in the hallway. Maybe this was a start, she thought hopefully. "Nice to meet you, by the way. Stacy."

"You too. Jess."

"Yep. See you next time," she threw over her shoulder as began to walk away.

"Ok, later."

They continued their trek out of the building, Stacy staying several paces behind her. Jess fought the almost instinctive urge to sway her hips suggestively as she walked, but didn't want to overdo it. She did hope he was checking her out as she would have been doing to him if their places were switched. Jay Adams would have – hell, he'd probably grab a big handful of embroidered cords and squeeze her black and blue – but Stacy was no Jay Adams, that she already knew. And liked.

As soon as they were out the door they immediately went in separate directions, Jess toward the library and Stacy toward the playing fields. And that was it. No furious Dogtown girls descended upon her with fists flying, no jealous girlfriend jumped out of the bushes to confront her, the sky did not flash lightning and despite it being California, the earth failed to rumble prophetically. All in all, it was the perfect first meeting, Jess ruminated as she walked. And I hope there will be a lot more to come…


	14. Chapter 14

_And that was it. No furious Dogtown girls descended upon her with fists flying, no jealous girlfriend jumped out of the bushes to confront her, the sky did not flash lightning and despite it being California, the earth failed to rumble prophetically. All in all, it was the perfect first meeting, Jess ruminated as she walked. And I hope there will be a lot more to come…_

**Chapter 14**

It seemed like her hope was in vain. It had been over two weeks since she first spoke to Stacy but nothing had really progressed from there. Either he would arrive to class too late or Jess too early and she didn't want to look like a total goon standing in the hallway waiting for him to show up. So she had to settle for a quick smile and wave from him as he took his seat, usually fumbling with his notebook in an attempt to catch up with the lecture at hand.

The weather had picked up somewhat as March made its entry. Back East they would have been in for one more good snow and a lot of hard icy wind, but Southern California ushered in the early Spring of 1976 with a string of partly-cloudy skies, fresh strong breezes and temperatures in the lower 60s. People were saying that the area could be in for a drought, since the monsoon season of the previous Fall was almost a non-event. As far as Jess was concerned, that was fine. She'd seen enough precipitation – especially the cold, depressing kind – to last her a lifetime. An early Summer would go a long way toward picking up her mood, which had been somewhat low of late. Her promising start with Stacy had fizzled, business was slow at the boutique, making her boss lot less bubbly than normal, and although Jess had made several acquaintances, she really couldn't say she had any true friends in Venice yet. On top of that, the occasional phone calls and letters she got from her old friends back in South Jersey were giving her a massive case of homesickness for a place she would probably never live in again. She didn't even know when she'd be able to visit the area. Her mom was already talking about flying Grandmother Ester out for Passover instead of them going back East. Well, considering what (she refused to think of the individual in question as a "who") they had gotten away from, Jess didn't blame her mom at all. As she stood in the shower ruminating about all this, she forcibly put that last thought from her mind. Dwelling on their shabby treatment at the hands of her mother's soon-to-be-ex husband wouldn't help at all. She poured a little more Clairol Herbal Essence into her palm and gave her hair a second lathering, willing the negative thoughts to pour out of her head and swirl down the drain along with the bubbles.

As she rinsed and applied conditioner, she tried to send her train of thought down a happier track. Yesterday on her way to work she had run into Deb and Kathy shooting the breeze outside of the salon where Deb worked. The Dogtown local girls had impulsively invited Jess to a "session at a permission pool" near Beverly Hills, which even Jess knew lay well outside the eastern Dogtown border. Apparently Kathy's brother Tony had worked his way into the good books of a young lady whose wealthy parents happened to be in Hawaii for an unspecified period of time, leaving their skaterboy-loving daughter alone at their house, which included an empty swimming pool that was ripe for marauding by Tony and his friends. Jess had never seen or even heard of people skateboarding in a swimming pool and was understandably eager to check this phenomenon out. Especially if there was a chance that Stacy might show up. He and Tony did skate together sometimes, didn't they? That was the impression Jess had gotten from some of the other Dogtown girls like Angel and Karen, but she also got the feeling that Stacy didn't hang out at the Zephyr shop or the old pier very often. The regulars there certainly knew of him, but didn't speak of him as a fixture. Maybe he was at one point, but was moving on to a different scene, who knew?

At any rate, I'm going to make an effort to look extra-nice today just in case, Jess plotted as she got out of the shower and dried herself off. Although the weather held a promise of going into the upper 60s by afternoon, she decided against wearing shorts since her legs were way too pale. Instead she picked out a long flowing skirt made of brown suede-like material, a wide black leather belt worn low on her hips, and a slightly sheer striped brown and tan peasant top with elbow-length sleeves. She applied just a little makeup to match, threw her cosmetics and comb into a shoulder bag, and headed out on foot for the corner of North Venice and Pacific, where Deb was going to pick her up at 11:30. The older girl ended up being only 10 minutes late, but she made up for her tardiness by being behind the wheel of a beautiful dark blue1971 Mach 1 Mustang. Thanks to Jess' father's love of muscle cars, she knew immediately that this was a fine machine and said so as she climbed into the passenger seat.

"Thanks. This is my baby. Saved two years to get it, and still had to buy it used, but it's all mine now," Deb bragged as she pulled away from the curb and headed north on Pacific at a breathtaking clip.

"Where's Karen?" Jess queried as she made sure her lap belt was secure.

"She's riding up with Tony."

"Right on."

They crossed into South Santa Monica from Venice, although it was hard to tell just where the border lay. The whole area was run-down and outright derelict in places. Off to their left, the Pacific Ocean Pier still loomed, looking even more dilapidated than before, if such a thing were possible. The shoreline break was dotted with surfers, some in wetsuits, others braving the moderate water temperatures with shorts. Jess realized she was scanning the beach for Stacy and forced herself to look straight ahead, embarrassed to have caught herself looking for a guy who wouldn't have been looking for her if their places had been reversed. She knew she needed to let him go and move on, find a guy who would readily return her attentions. Maybe I'll meet someone at the pool today, she thought hopefully. And even if I don't, it should be an interesting time anyway.

After a few minutes Deb turned right onto Wilshire. The neighborhood improved with every block they passed as rundown buildings and dirty streets gave way to stately homes with manicured lawns and wide roads lined with several varieties of palm trees. After a while, Deb hung a left and then a right so quickly that Jess didn't get a chance to see the street names. They continued up the road for a minute, then Deb turned right onto a smaller residential street and parked in the first open spot they found.

As they got out of the car Deb gave her younger companion the rundown: "Just so you know, this place is a strictly invite-only but they know we're coming so we're cool. You'll know a few of the guys from the party at the Zephyr place, I'm sure."

Jess nodded, listening intently. It wouldn't do to put a foot wrong now. She noted a decent number of cars parked along the street, but no people were in evidence.

Deb continued her briefing. "This place shouldn't be a bust, but if the cops do show up for some reason, just run like hell. They'll be after the guys more than the girls, anyway."

Oh, wouldn't Mom just love to see me dropped off home by a police car, Jess thought sardonically. That would put an end to my Dogtown adventures in a hurry. But then again, there's some local girls who'd be thrilled about that. The realization that Angel, Karen and their little clique might also be at the pool gave Jess a sharp stab of trepidation in her core. So far she had been protected from their wrath by Deb and Kathy, but she would never feel at-ease among the other Dogtown girls until they began showing her some form of acceptance beyond mere toleration. All things in time, Jess thought hopefully as she followed Deb down the driveway of a large stucco two-story house with a beautiful Spanish-tiled roof and roomy garage.

As they rounded the corner Jess spotted the first of the Dogtown skaters- two boys who looked like they were mere minutes into their teens – standing watch at a tall wooden gate that shielded the backyard from view.

"Hey Baby Paul," Deb greeted the slightly shorter boy, who had chin-length blonde hair and an adorable face. Like his companion, he was wearing a tee shirt, cutoff jeans and Chuck Taylors. Neither boy seemed too happy to be on the wrong side of the gate and Jess instinctively guessed they were lookouts stationed to warn the skaters if an advent of the police did occur.

"S'up Deb," the kid replied with a shy smile. "Uhh, who's your friend? Red Dog said we had to ask everyone, ya know…" his voice trailed off uncertainly.

Deb smiled back. "This is Jess. She's cool, TA and Kathy know she's coming. Jess, this is Paul Cullen. Watch this kid, he's gonna be the hottest thing going by the end of the year." Paul's cute freckled face flushed as he basked in the older girl's praise while his as-yet unintroduced friend just rolled his eyes and unlatched the gate so the girls could go inside.

"Hi guys," was all Jess got out, and then they were in. She quickly scanned the enormous backyard, dominated by the pool which featured a narrow shallow end that sloped down and widened to the roundest, deepest deep end she'd ever seen. A group of seven or eight skaters, all-male and many shirtless, were gathered in the shallow end. Around the edge of the pool about 15 spectators of both sexes were sitting or standing at a safe distance.

"Huh, it's shaped sorta like a keyhole," Jess muttered, half to herself.

Deb grinned back at her as they wove their way past the other spectators. "And that's why they call this the Keyhole Pool," she confirmed as she chose a shady spot under a nearby cluster of olive trees where they could watch without being in the way. "Right on, we got a primo viewing spot," Deb crowed triumphantly.

Jess gave a little laugh, causing the nearest people to her to turn around and appraise her curiously for a moment, but the action in the pool was a lot more interesting so they turned their attention back to that. Jess focused her gaze along with theirs. Currently the pool was being skated by a tall, athletically built guy with long, light hair. For a second Jess thought it was Stacy and her heart lurched accordingly, but upon closer scrutiny she realized it was the Irish-looking Red Dog from the old pier. He finished his run, rolling up into the shallow end and one of the waiting skaters, dressed all in white, immediately pushed off for his run. Another blonde, Jess noted, but this one resembled Stacy even less, being shorter and more compact with a long chin, wide mouth, and a facial expression so intense it bordered on hostility. He immediately headed for the back of the bowl, reached the coping and did a sharp 180 turn, then repeated the move on either side of the bowl successfully before heading back to the shallow end to give the next guy a shot at the deep end.

Red Dog high-fived the shorter blonde. "Workin' on those forevers, huh?" The redhead's voice was deep and carried nicely to Jess' ears.

"Oh yeah," the blonde confirmed. "Can't let Peralta be the undisputed master, ya know."

"Tell me about it," Red Dog shot back with a part-grin, part-sneer. "When he pulled those for the first time at Devonshire I was all like, 'you asshole!' when he got done."

"I know, I was there too, man."

Both guys laughed as Jess perked up although she had no idea what they were talking about. So was he here or not? Tearing her eyes away from the pool – this place was worse than a three-ring circus – she checked out the rest of the lineup in the shallow end but Stacy wasn't among them. Nor did his girlfriend seem to be part of the few knots of onlookers who dotted the manicured lawn and sun-warmed pool deck. She did recognize a couple of the skaters from Bicknell Hill and the Zephyr party. One of them was Tony, who detached himself from the group of waiting riders and sauntered over to the arbor. He gave Deb a warm hug and Jess a detached nod, as though he recognized her but wasn't going to make a deal about it. That was fine with Jess. From what she'd seen of the guy he was undoubtedly cool, but not really her type. Kind of a hardass and she preferred blondes with straight hair anyway, Jess silently mused.

"Seen Kathy yet?" he asked Deb, who shook her head no. "Huh, I thought she'd be riding with you," her brother mused aloud.

"She told me she was riding up here herself," Deb informed him. Hopefully with no obnoxious Dogtown girls in tow, Jess thought to herself.

"Ah well, she'll get here…or she won't," Tony quipped with a shrug as he walked away toward the side gate. "Baby Paul!" Jess heard him yell. "Get your butt in here and let Arthur be the lookout."

The gate flew open as the cute blonde kid barreled into the backyard, grinning widely. "For real, TA?" he gasped.

"Yeah. For real. Get your board and join the lineup. You earned a run or two today," Tony informed him magnanimously as Paul hastened to obey. Okay, maybe not that much of a hardass, Jess thought.

Deb shrugged too. "She better get her butt down here pronto 'cause she's missing a helluva show. You're lucky; a lot of the best locals are here."

"Who's the blonde guy in the white?"

"That's Bob Biniak, aka "The Bullet". Deb made just a hint of a sour face. "Great skater, but I don't think a whole lot of him as a person. He likes to start shit –and finish it."

Before she could respond Jess was distracted by the sound of new voices coming from the rear of the house. Four people – three females and a male, it looked like – were letting themselves out of the sliding glass door that exited to the portico, chatting and laughing easily amongst themselves. As the little group left the dim shaded portico and stepped into the sunlight, Jess instantly recognized two of them – Stacy and his seemingly ever-present girlfriend. Despite her disappointment at seeing him in the company of his beloved, Jess had to admit that he looked breathtakingly hot today, clad as he was in a tee shirt with wide red and blue horizontal stripes and matching red shorts that were very short indeed. Camille was slightly more modestly dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt and bluejeans. But as usual, she looked the very picture of health, all lightly tanned skin, dimples, and shiny, swingy hair. Jess instinctively put a hand to her own darker, coarser tresses, then realized what she was doing and let her arm drop. The other girls, both with immaculately styled platinum blonde manes and expensive clothes, were unfamiliar. Jess sensed that one of them was the girl who lived there. Stacy broke off from the group to retrieve his yellow skateboard where it was resting against one of the portico columns and took his place in the shallow end. The girls continued walking around the pool deck, heading right for Deb and Jess. Jess realized with a sinking heart that she and Deb had probably unwittingly chosen the very place where the girls had been sitting before they went into the house. No wonder the "primo spot" was open when they got there.

Fortunately Deb seemed to have come to the same realization. She rose to her feet just as the group reached the edge of the olive trees. Jess' trepidation eased a little when the tallest blonde addressed her older friend warmly. "Hey Deb, how's it going?"

"Hey Tiffany, it's going. This Jess, she's a friend of mine and Kathy's." Jess stood up as Deb introduced her. The blonde turned her gaze on Jess, giving her a quick appraisal and then a tentative smile. "Any friend of yours and Kathy's is always welcome here – until my parents get back," the blonde giggled, then turned to the two girls with her. "This is my friend Jane." She indicated the other well-dressed blonde with a wave of her hand, which was as nicely manicured as their surroundings. "And do you guys know Camille?"

As she uttered this last query Tiffany took a step back and ushered the last member of the little group forward in an almost deferential way.

Jess forced herself to smile as sincerely as possible as she came face-to-face for the first time with Stacy's girl.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 16**

"Nice to meet you all," Jess half-muttered. Partly true: it was nice to meet the house's resident and her friend. But she could have gladly gone her whole life without meeting the girl who had Stacy's heart. Up close her lightly tanned skin showed itself to be flawless and her teeth, as she bared them in a brief smile, were straight and white. Jess found herself struggling with the feelings of self-consciousness and inadequacy again. Not that it mattered. Camille had won long ago. End of story.

"Hey, you look kinda familiar. Do you go to Santa Monica College?" Camille queried.

"Yeah, I just started in January," Jess confirmed.

Camille nodded as she raised her eyebrows reflectively. "Cool, thought I'd seen you around there. You got a major picked yet?"

"Not yet, just doing general studies for now. I might go into Art at some point though. My parents are both artists." Oh man, blab your whole stupid life story, why don'tcha? Jess thought disgustedly.

"That's awesome," Camille enthused as she gave another little smile, showing off disgustingly cute dimples. "My dad works in film. I'm thinking of studying that at UCLA, if I can get into the program."

"Oh, great." Hmm, a showbiz kid, Jess thought. I wonder how she and Stacy met. She's definitely not your typical Dogtown girl.  
Tiffany's voice cut into their conversation: "Jane and I are going to sit by the pool and watch the guys. You coming?"

"Ok," Camille replied breezily. She turned back to Jess. "Sit with us?"

"Yeah, go sit with them, Jess," Deb advised. "I might go to the store and pick up some refreshments 'cause I'm gettin' a little dry."

At this, Tiffany turned to Deb with a pleading expression on her highly made-up face. "Oh! If I gave you some money would you mind picking up some beer for me? We totally ran out yesterday and nobody's really bringing any."

"Hey, you should make the guys bring the beer in exchange for skating your pool, you know," Deb counseled with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Yeah, I know, but I don't mind. A lot of them are really broke and I'm not, so you know…" Tiffany's voice trailed off as she gazed at the teenage boys crowding her parents' pool. At that moment Biniak was marauding the deep end, his wide mouth set in a furious line as though he'd rather be jackhammering the bowl instead.

"Hey, it's cool," Deb countered smoothly. "What kinda beer you want?"

"Oh, whatever is good. Wait, lemme get my purse," Tiffany answered as she set off for the house at a trot, her high-heeled sandals clacking on the pool deck and platinum mane swinging. Quite a few of the guys turned their heads from the action in the pool to watch her astonishingly round and high shorts-clad backside as it wiggled with every bouncing step. Jess idly wondered if many of the guys there had seen that backside _sans_ shorts, or clothing of any kind. She seemed nice, but it was obvious that more than just her pool and her wallet was wide open.

Camille and Jane were sitting on the grass just beyond the deck at the deep end. Jess joined them, sitting cross-legged next to Jane, just as Tony took a run. Like all the skaters, he wasn't visible to the observers on the deck until he was almost at the coping because the pool was so deep. Jess guessed it had to be 10-12 feet and got a cold, queasy stab in her midsection just thinking about rolling in slowly from the shallow end, never mind zooming up the wall, pivoting on just one back wheel and plunging straight back down again just like Tony did, to the hoots of approval from his fellow Dogtowners.

"He's good, but I think Stacy is the best," Jane told Camille in what sounded like a slightly syncophantic manner, Jess thought sardonically.

"Yeah, Stacy's great, but…I dunno." Camille sighed.

"Dunno about what?" Jane prodded, while Jess pricked up her ears.

Camille sighed again. "He's a a sweet guy and a radical skater, but I'm starting to think he's never going to go anywhere with it." Her voice was slightly high and soft-pitched, but fortunately she was having to talk a little more loudly over the sound of urethane wheels on concrete and the noise of the specators. "I'm kinda getting tired of his trip, always going on about turning pro, turning pro, but never really doing anything about it. He can win all the contests he wants but that's not what he really needs, ya know?"

Jane made a sympathetic noise. "Well, give him time. He's still pretty young."

Camille made a less sympathetic noise. "He's 18. Young, but a lot of these guys getting on pro teams and doing ads are even younger. He needs to get going before it's too late. Either that or come up with something to fall back on…besides surfing. Oh, I dunno," she said a second time.

Red Dog rolled into the deep end and attacked the coping, his strawberry blonde hair flying out in all directions under his yellow headband. From near the house a male voice yelled, "Beer run!"

Jess remained as still and quiet as possible, trying to fade into the background so Camille would keep talking. If she had any idea that I liked her boyfriend I bet she wouldn't say half as much, Jess ruminated.

"Sounds totally frustrating," Jane commiserated. "I can't deal with guys who don't have a solid plan for life, ya know?"

"Yeah," Camille agreed. "I mean, I really like him but I just worry about where it's going to go from here with the skating and all that. He already goes a lot of places without me and if he went pro he'd be going all over the place and I'd probably be stuck right here."

"Oh, that's no good. You should make him bring you along more. I would!" Jane declared self-righteously. In the pool, Baby Paul was getting a good run in, almost hitting the coping with every carve. The shallow end was lauding his every kickturn, no matter how sketchy.

"You can't _make_ Stacy do anything, though. His skating life and his dating life are kinda two separate things. I can accept that. I don't want to get in the way of his dreams…"

Jane cut her off as she smacked the grass with her hand. "But you're there for him, he should appreciate that and include you more."

"Oh, he's included me in a lot of ways. I just feel that if it gets really serious – y'know, the skating – he'll have to concentrate a lot more on that and I just hope everything will be ok, that's all." Now Baby Paul was trudging up into the shallow end, having to bail and knee-slide out of a carve that stalled on the way up.

Jess was starting to feel sympathetic towards Camille as well. It was obvious she was having to walk a fine line with Stacy when it came to his loyalties. For the first time she began to realize that maybe he wasn't the ultimate boyfriend after all. What good was it to be with a beautiful guy if he loved his skateboard more than he loved you?

"Hup, there he goes." Camille's voice brought Jess out of her private reverie and made her focus on the pool again. Stacy had just pushed off for a run, the first one since Jess had gotten there. He barrelled right for the lip at the deepest part and did one of those pivots with three wheels out of the bowl, his back to the coping and the girls watching him. Jess fancied she could see right up his little red shorts and get a glimpse of white boxers, but that was probably her fevered imagination at work.

Stacy then proceeded to glide up and down the sides of the pool, executing perfect kickturns at or close to the coping each time. Now all the spectators were shouting praise and encouragement, Camille among them as she smacked her palms against her jeanclad thighs: "Yeah, go Stacy!"

Jess added her voice to the din as she mentally compared Stacy's style to the other skaters and started to understand why he got so much acclaim: He was a natural. Where the other guys attacked the pool with hostile snarls or sneers as though it was their worst enemy, Stacy seemed to glide effortlessly up the walls, his expression serene, almost zen. But not blank; concentration animated his features as his eyes were actively scanning ahead as he decided where to go next. There was no aggression in his style, just grace and smooth clean lines. He makes it look so easy even though you know it's not, Jess thought, awed.

Stacy came out of a right-hand kickturn almost in the shallow end and crossed to the other wall, intent on doing a simple carve. When he reached the coping on the far end, his line of sight was level with the three girls watching him. As he continued the carve, his gaze swept over Camille, then Jane…then fixed on Jess. For one heart-stopping moment their eyes locked and Stacy gave her a hint of a sly smile, and then he was past them, sailing back down the wall and into the shallow end, where Tony nearly knocked him down as he rolled in to try for an even better run. Unfazed, Stacy hoisted his board in the air and climbed out of the shallow end as several of his fellow skaters slapped him on the back and gave him high-fives.

Jess quickly ducked her head and picked at the grass beside her knee so her hair fell forward and hid her now-crimson face. He probably didn't mean anything by that, but man, I feel awkward right now. God, I hope his girlfriend didn't notice, she thought ruefully, although Stacy's behavior was certainly not her fault. I don't need the Dogtown girls AND her on my case about a guy who's never laid a hand on me.

As she concluded her thoughts, Stacy walked over with Tiffany trailing right behind him.

"Isn't he the awesomest skater ever?" the blonde gushed with a loopy grin.

Stacy gave a slight grimace of embarassment and shook his head as he sat on the grass next to Camille, casually tossing his board to the side. Jess leaned forward a bit to get a better view of the couple and saw Stacy give his girl a tight smile and a brief pat on the knee, but no other demonstration of affection was forthcoming from either party. Jess knew that was no reason to get her hopes up, though. They'd probably been together long enough that they didn't have to do any public displays of affection. She idly wondered if they slept together. Probably. She'd heard Camille say he was 18 and guessed that Camille was around the same age. Plenty old enough to be having sex. They seemed to like each other enough too, but at the same time something seemed lacking. The several times Jess had seen them together they were affectionate but not…passionate. Yeah, that's it. I'm looking for signs of serious chemistry between them and not really seeing it. Or is that just my jealous imagination at work? Anyway, it does no good to speculate. Despite what she says about the skating, she'd be crazy to break up with him. And if she did, I'd be at the end of a long line of girls waiting for their shot at him, if I'm even in it at all.

Fortunately before her train of thought could roll too far down a horribly melancholic track, Deb returned with beer, Kathy, and two new skaters. One of them Jess had never seen before, but upon getting a good look at him he went straight into the #2 Hot Guy spot right after Stacy. The other was the previous occupant of that spot (and of course completely unaware that he'd been instantly demoted): Jay Adams.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N**: Thanks yet again for all the good reviews and encouragement. If it helps to know, I'm up to Chapter 30 and will keep updating once or twice a day. Thanks for sticking with the story!

**Chapter 16**

"I'm back!" Deb shouted to no-one in particular, a large paper grocery sack in her arms.

"Hey, everyone," Kathy called out, laden with a brown paper bag of her own.

"BEER!" came the reply in unison from most of the skaters. A few "S'up Kathy"s were mixed in, nearly lost in the clamor.

Jay and the other new skater threw casual waves to the guys in the shallow end, but it was obvious that the six-packs dangling from their fingers were not to be shared. Still, there appeared to be plenty more for the rest of them. Suddenly the pool was somewhat bereft of skaters as they clambered out and threw themselves at Deb and Kathy, who wisely set the paper bags on the ground and fled in the face of the onslaught.

Stacy retrieved his board from the grass and stood up, stretching his long, golden limbs for a couple of seconds in the process. "I'm gonna take another run while they're distracted," he told Camille as he took his leave with a smile for her and a vague wave for the rest of the girls. Jess was both relieved and disappointed that he didn't acknowledge her. She was fairly sure he remembered her from their one conversation at school; that was evident in the little smile he gave her while he was skating. But maybe he didn't want to speak to her in front of Camille and make the latter girl suspicious. Jess allowed herself a tiny shrug as she walked Stacy walk away and greet the new arrivals before stepping down into the shallow end. One guy was just finishing his run and Stacy was about to launch into his, when from across the yard Deb's voice rang out:

"Hey Philly girl! Got someone here who's been missing you!" Jess almost went cross-eyed with vexation. She forced herself to look away from the pool and focus on Deb, who was getting a playful shove from Jay. "Awww, man…missing her…whatever," he was muttering, but loud enough to hear. Reluctantly, Jess got up and went over to them, although she was unable to resist a brief glance toward the pool as she passed, letting her vision fill itself with flying blonde hair and red and blue stripes.

As she got within arm's reach of Jay, he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to his side for a second, squeezing her so tightly she could feel every detail of his hard ribcage against her softer one. "Where ya been, stranger?" he growled in her left ear before he released her, smirking.

"Oh, around. Just not in the same places as you, obviously," she quipped, feeling proud of that comeback.

Jay rolled his eyes. "No, I guess not," he replied in a mocking tone. "You avoiding me or somethin'?" The teasing sparkle in his eyes belied his words, as did his gesture of giving Jess his beer to keep. As she took a sip and watched Jay open a new one, she noted that Deb had wandered off and was talking to Tony and Kathy, while Stacy was just wrapping up another run. Already several other guys were heading back to the shallow end to roll in, their whistles now wetted with Coors and Lowenbrau. Among them was the new Hot Guy #2, whose name she still didn't know. So many fine guys. Wish I could flirt with them all and not have any of them get jealous, Jess wished privately.

"Hey, ya missed my birthday," Jay informed her between swigs. "Had a killer party at my house, you shoulda been there."

"Oh, sorry I missed it. Happy birthday anyway." Privately she had to wonder how great the party could have been if it was at his house, but then she remembered the phone call he'd gotten while they were kissing at the Zephyr shop and what other people said about his mom, and concluded that it could have been a pretty good time after all.

Jay shrugged, then chugged the rest of his beer and gave an impressive belch for a 16 year old. "I'm gonna hit the pool," he stated as he smacked the empty can down on a nearby patio table. Just before he turned away, he reached up and caught Jess' chin between the thumb and index finger of one hand. "Don't go anywhere, ok?" he instructed her, looking intently into her eyes as though he was a human lie detector. When she assured him she wasn't going anywhere without Deb, he released his not-ungentle grip and scooped up his board. Jess was impressed to see how the other guys waiting in the shallow end parted like the proverbial Red Sea at his advent. Even TA deferred, letting Jay go next. As the firey blonde pushed off toward the deep end, the other skaters got a lot quieter, waiting to see how he would push the envelope this time. He didn't disappoint. Like most of the others he headed straight for the back of the pool, carving a hard arc over the light, but when he reached the lip he reached down with his right hand and pivoted around it, making himself almost vertical as his feet glid along the wall high above his head. The rest of the guys made their approval evident. "Nice layback" Jess heard someone mumble. "Yeah, a perfect revert," another voice said with admiration.

Jess risked a quick peek across the pool to the place where Camille was sitting, Stacy at her side again. She had her arms wrapped around her knees and a bored, somewhat unfocused expression but Stacy had a small smile on his face, his aqua eyes locked onto Jay's every move just like all the other skaters.

When Jay ended his relatively short first run to a high volume of hoots and cheers, he stayed in the shallow end, leaning his shirtless back up against the wall. The unknown Hot Guy went next. Jess was watching him so closely that she didn't notice Jay had turned around and was trying to make eye contact with her. Annoyed, he waved one arm in the air and shouted, "Hey, East Coast!" at the top of his lungs.

Startled, Jess refocused her attention from Hot Guy #2 to Jay. "What?"

"Bring me a beer," Jay commanded with a little sidewise grin.

Jess resisted the urge to flip him off at his imperious tone. Who does he think he is? Jay Adams, I guess. What the hell, don't pitch a fit, just humor the guy, she reasoned, then pulled another can out of Jay's six pack and sat it on the deck where he was resting his elbows. Hot Guy #2 was just finishing up, a triumphant smile on his face. Whatever he'd done, Jess had missed it. As she was starting to retreat, Jay turned around and shouted "Hey!" again.

"What now?" Jess asked, peeved.

Jay crooked his index finger at her. "C'mere and gimme a kiss, hot thing."

She was about to tell him to kiss off instead when Biniak's voice rang out: "Hey Jayboy, check out Red Dog! Shit's rad, man!"

Saved by the Bullet. Jess gratefully retreated back into the shadows of the portico as Jay whipped his head around to check out the action in the pool. Near the gate Deb was talking to Hot Guy #2 enthusiastically about something. Jess decided to meander on over to them and see if she'd get a proper introduction. That seemed to count for a lot with Dogtowners, she mused as she approached. Sure enough, Deb didn't let her down.

"Hey Jess, this is Wentzle. Wentzle, this is one of my newest friends Jess. She's from the East Coast, so be nice."  
Wentzle gave Jess a wide grin, showing off his slightly gapped teeth. Instead of detracting from his looks, they made him even hotter. "Hey, there's nothing wrong with the East Coast. I've always wanted to check it out," he assured Jess. She returned his smile with a warm one of her own, trying not to be too obvious as she checked out his perfect six-pack, and not the one that was dangling from his fingers. Following the line of her gaze – or so he thought – Wentzle held up the beers in a wordless offer for Jess to take one. That she did gratefully.

"So, Wentzle?" she confirmed after taking a sip.

"Yeah, Wentzle Ruml the Fourth actually, but most people call me either Wentz or Rum. Take your pick, I don't care," he informed her offhandedly. Jess wondered how old he was. His boyishly handsome face told her he was still in his teens, but at the higher end. She wanted to ask him if he was still in high school, but didn't want to accidentally insult him in case he turned out to be 21 and just amazingly young looking for his age. She tried another tack instead.

"So Wentz, you skate or surf with the Zephyr people?"

Wentz nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yeah. Those guys – he pointed out Jay and TA – are my closest friends. We're on both teams together. Well uh, for the time being, anyway."

His voice broke off and Jess put her head to one side questioningly, but he refrained from elucidating.

"Ok, just curious. I've been to the Zephyr shop and that hill where everyone goes to practice but I haven't seen you around before," Jess explained.

"Yeah, I'm buds with most of those guys, but I like to surf as many different places as possible. Lately it's been going off up north of Malibu, so I've been up there a lot.

Jess nodded, although she wasn't quite sure what 'going off' meant. Perhaps something to do with good waves. "Do you guys do a lot of contests?"

"Oh yeah. Not to brag but we usually place pretty high in every competition we go to." After seeing the quality of skating today, Jess could believe it. She was amazed at the Dogtowners' collective drive and the way they encouraged each other to keep improving. As she mused she realized that Deb was no longer standing with them. Nice of her to let us talk and not hover, Jess thought happily. She's good people, I'm so glad I met her. While she was looking around she surreptuitously scanned the pool area for Jay's whereabouts, almost terrified that he would intrude on her conversation with her interesting new Z-Boy. Fortunately he was caught up in all the skating action. She turned back to Wentzle and smiled sweetly again. "Hey, don't let me keep you from skating or anything."

"Ah, it's cool. My shoulder's kinda tweaked from bailing at another pool last week. I think two runs will be all I'm good for." To emphasize his words Wentz reached up and began halfheartedly rubbing his left shoulderblade and the back of his neck. Jess resisted the urge to offer up a massage, thinking it might be a little too obvious. Maybe after another beer or two, she thought mischeviously.

But to her disappointment Wentz said "But I should go back over and watch. Talk to ya later, maybe?" And with one last smile walked away and sat on the pool stairs with some of the other skaters who were taking a break.

Jess decided to rejoin Tiffany, Jane and Camille, who were still sitting on the same patch of grass. By now several guys had gravitated toward the blonde hostess and her friend, both of whom appeared to be a tad intoxicated already. Jess privately wondered if they were hitting up daddy's liquor stash on the sly. Tiffany was literally rolling in Red Dog's lap, laughing hysterically at something he may or may not have said. Red Dog was making no move to stop her. Jess could see his Celtic features working as he struggled to think of more funny things to say. Camille had physically distanced herself a bit from the blondes, not that Jess could blame her. She lowered herself to an empty patch of grass on Camille's far side, although she really had no idea what to say to her.

When she was settled, she turned to Camille. "Hey, having fun still?" Jess quipped.

The other girl just shrugged at first. Over in the pool Stacy, Wentz and Jay were conversing while Biniak took yet another run. Without taking her eyes off her boyfriend, Camille replied, "I know Stacy sure is."

"Mm. Guess he's in his element, huh?"

"Oh yeah. That he is," Camille sighed. Jess felt a renewed sense of sympathy for her. She was obviously bored out of her skull and wishing for her boyfriend to quit skating for the day – or forever? – and remember she existed, and yet she was far too polite to complain openly about it to a relative stranger. Jess was willing to bet Camille didn't say anything to Stacy, either, just suffered in silence and looked pretty while doing it. Oh well, guess that's the price you pay for dating a guy like that, Jess mused.

While she tried to formulate a decent reply, her train of thought was interrupted by one of the boys loudly demanding that Tiffany "put on some smokin' tunes, man!"

"Yeah, we got the beer, now we need some music. C'mon Tiff," Red Dog urged her. Jess cynically thought that part of his impetus came from the fact that Tiffany practically had her head buried in someone else's lap at that point.

"Aww, awrite. What the hell, just not too loud 'cause I don't want the neighbors to freak," the hostess slurred as she got to her feet. After a short fruitless search for her shoes (one of which was on the grass behind Red Dog and the other floating in the ether for all anyone knew), she swanned over to the house, leaving the patio door open behind her. As soon as she was out of sight, several skaters wasted no time slinking over to the wooden yard fence and pissing all over her mother's bougainvilleas. After a moment's hesistation, Jane extracted herself from Biniak's embrace and followed her friend inside, perhaps to give her some much-needed moral support as she chose the music. Or maybe to report the illicit urination, who knew?

After a couple of minutes the stereo speakers had been moved close to the patio doors and the music was ready to rip. Jess wondered what would be on deck first – some Ted Nugent or Aerosmith maybe? Or perhaps the tried and true Led Zep. That was a safe bet.

It was a good thing that Jess wasn't a betting person, or she'd have been a big loser that day. Instead of the ripping sound of distorted guitar and wailing vocals, the first notes that emanated from the house were the pumping, staccato disco beats of KC and the Sunshine Band. The reaction from the guys was nearly unanimous:

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

"DUDE, NO FUCKIN' WAY!"

"NOT THAT SHIT!"

"PLAY SOME SKYNYRD!" Jess wasn't sure, but it sounded like that last one came from Stacy.

Jay took things in hand by throwing down his beer and jumping out of the shallow end. Pushing past the giggling girls in the doorway, he disappeared into the house. Five seconds later the abrupt sound of the needle getting violently yanked off the record echoed through the backyard, followed by the album itself getting winged like a frisbee out the door, to the rapturous applause of all watching. After a minute of silence, "Sweet Maxine" by the Doobie Brothers came belting out of the speakers. Jay stepped back outside, still looking mildly annoyed. "It was the best I could find. Next time pick a place where the owners don't have shitty taste in music," he barked at TA, who was closest to him.

Shaking his head, Stacy came back over to where Camille and Jess were sitting, picking a spot a bit behind and between them. He began to rub his knee distractedly. "Startin' to get a little weird here, huh?" he sheepishly said to his girlfriend, who just cocked her head to the side and gave him a wistful smile. Jess decided she could take lessons from this girl in how to hold one's tounge in times of need.

A shrill feminine shriek came from the portico, causing all heads to turn in that direction. Red Dog was trying to hoist Tiffany over his head and failing because she was squirming too much. "Put me down!" she screeched. "I'm gonna puke!" Red Dog hastily obliged her wish. As soon as she was on the ground, she lurched over to Jane and the two began a combination slowdance/stripper routine with each other. Jane kicked off her heels, then slowly pulled Tiffany's shoulder straps down, both of them sticking their butts out and grinding their hips to the beat. Tiffany reciprocated by stripping off Jane's tight red tee shirt, although it was a struggle getting it over Jane's ample chest without taking her bra with it. In the end Jane ended up without any clothing on her upper body at all, supportive garment included. She pressed her chest up against Tiffany's while Biniak put her white silk bra on top of his head, grinning like a madman. The effect was made especially comedic by his ultra-wide mouth, which made him literally look like he was smiling from ear to ear.

Back on the other side of the pool, Camille didn't need to say anything to Stacy. She just _looked_ at him, her sandy brows knitted and her pretty lips compressed in a narrow line. He got the hint, jumping to his feet and grabbing his skateboard quickly like a good boy.

"We're outta here!" he yelled, but unsurprisingly no one really took any heed. Hand in hand he and Camille strode quickly out the side gate, he giving a funny little burbling chuckle and she in put-upon silence.

A moment later Deb came over to Jess, who immediately stood up. "Seen enough?" the older girl asked with a grin.

"Yes, definitely. I think it's getting a little wild for my tastes."

Deb smiled wryly. "Mine too. Kids these days, huh?" she quipped. "Ok, just lemme tell some of these guys goodbye if I can get them to tear themselves away from this lovely sight for two seconds."

Jess looked back across the pool and was relieved to see that an orgy wasn't breaking out. Jane had her shirt back on _sans_ bra, and Tiffany was sprawled across TA's and Muir's laps on the portico's wicker couch. Probably making her choice for the night, unless they share, Jess thought sardonically. She looked around for Jay and Wentz, but neither was in sight. That was good about Jay, but not so good about Wentz. She really wanted to talk to him one last time before she left, but perhaps it was not to be. At the gate, Deb turned from Baby Paul and Arthur (who was looking a tad overwhelmed at that point) and motioned for Jess to follow her out.

Once they were in front of the house, Jess spotted Wentz talking to a couple of other people and let her shoulders sag in relief. He caught sight of them and waved. "You guys takin' off?" he called across the yard.

"Yeah, we're heading back to Venice," Deb informed him. He broke away from the others and crossed the grass to meet them. "Lemme walk you guys to your car," he offered to Jess' delight.

Deb rolled her eyes. "Oh, because this is such a dangerous neighborhood."

"Hey, it's what a gentleman should do," Wentzle countered with a playful grin.

"And since when have you been a gentleman, Wentz?" Deb teased.

"I am a gentleman. Really. You believe me, don't you?" he asked Jess mock-plantatively.

"Of course," she replied with a giggle. He really was fine and his ability to joke around made him even hotter. If he didn't ask for her number within the next few minutes she'd be really let down. Of course he might be taken, but she didn't really get that vibe. She decided to stay positive and hope it paid off.

It did. When they reached Deb's Mustang, Wentz turned to face Jess at the curbside. "Nice to meet you, Jess."

"Yeah, you too, Wentzle." He seemed to appreciate her use of his full name, although she couldn't have said exactly how he knew that. Something about his eyes helped give it away, though. They were almost as light as Stacy's and just as expressive. He was almost like a blend of Stacy and Jay, in fact. The best parts of both. At least as far as she could see.

Wentzle took a quick glance at Deb, who chose that moment to rummage in her trunk for some reason. He turned back to Jess. "So um, we should hang out sometime. You live in Venice?"

"Yeah, on the corner of Altadena and Wayne," she started to explain, when the unwelcome sound of Jay's strident voice rang out from Tiffany's front yard: "Hey! Ruml! Where the fuck are ya, dude? You gotta get back here and check this shit out!"

Dammit, Jay! Jess thought in consternation. Immediately in her mind he got busted down to rank number 4 after Muir.

"Quick, gimme your number," Wentzle requested. But to Jess' further annoyance nobody had a pen. "Just tell me it," Wentz commanded. "I'll remember."

Jess did so, but was sure that between his beer buzz and whatever debauched sights that laid in wait for him back at the house, his memory would be faulty, to say the least. Oh well, she would just have to live in hope like always. She bade Hot Guy #2 a farewell and climbed into Deb's car, which was already fired up. They pulled off from the sparkling Beverly Hills curb and headed into the growing late afternoon shadows.

Note : I'm making a retroactive amendment to an earlier chapter where she met some of the Z-boys surfing at POP. Instead of meeting Wentzle, she met PC instead. I was going to make PC Hot Guy #2 but realized he was too young for Jess. Curse this whole realism thing!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

It was the week after the pool session and Jess was enjoying the college's Spring break even though she had no plans to go anywhere. Today she and her mother had a good time on a long sightseeing drive up in the hills above Malibu. They'd ended the day by having dinner at the Trancas Canyon home of one of the art directors who oversaw her mom's work at the studio. The house was new and quite fancy but the owners were as down to earth as native California artists would be. They had no children but didn't make the common non-parent mistake of patronizing Jess, instead offering her a glass of red wine and including her in the conversation. They made the smokers indulge in their habits out on the balcony, although the steady canyon wind kept all but the most determined from staying out too long. Jess was fairly sure that people were smoking grass out there too, but her mother didn't indulge in anything other than a heavy measure of the wine. But that didn't mean she never smokes pot, though, Jess mused as she drove her mom home at the end of the evening. A slight mist was creeping across the beach highway as Jess carefully turned left onto it out of the canyon road.

"Music won't distract you, will it?" her mom asked as she started to reach for the radio's power button.

"No, go ahead."

Her mom pressed the button and tuned the radio to KIIS. "Convoy" had just started playing, making mother and daughter laugh a tad ironically. "Still going strong, I see," her mom quipped, but made no change to the station.

As she listened to the comedic CB slang Jess suddenly realized that her birthday was just under a month away. When they'd first moved to Venice her mom had said something about buying her a car. She decided now might be a good time to bring the subject back up again, given her mom's slightly tipsy state. It was worth a try.

"Hey Mom, is that car offer for my birthday still on the table?"

"Well of course, sweetie. I was going to bring it up but the last time we talked about it I recall you being lukewarm on the idea, for some reason."

Jess thought back to their talk, which had been over two months ago. "Well, I think I was hoping to get a better paying job then so I could get one myself," she admitted.

Her mom rested one elbow against the door and rested her cheek against her palm, regarding her only child. "Sweetie, I told you then that I could help you out and nothing's changed. You saw how well I get along with the head honcho. Maybe if you got the car you could scout for a better job farther afield."

Jess had to silently confess that her mom was right but was unwilling to accept her total charity. Next month she'd be 18, time to start establishing her independence as an adult. The thought was both exciting and intimidating. She'd gotten some practice at this since they moved to LA, due to her mom's steady and sometimes long working hours. However, it was nothing like living on one's own with your fate entirely in your hands. That was Jess' personal measuring stick of being an adult. That and being able to understand 'Doonesbury' on the first reading. She felt that when the time came to move out she'd go for good, but right now she just wasn't ready. She had treasured this day with her mom, the first of its kind they'd had since moving out West. It occurred to her that maybe her mom wasn't quite ready for her to go yet either. Fine, she resolved. Give it maybe another year and work hard at school in the meantime and maybe my future path will be more clear then. And what the hell, if mom wants to give me a car then who am I to deny her? I just won't let her buy a really expensive one. She realized her last thought would be seen as downright mutinous by some of her friends back home, who had made the act of squeezing money out of their parents into a high art form.

"Ok, maybe we can go look at some cars while I'm still on break?"

"You got it, sweetie." Her mom seemed delighted with Jess' decision to comply.

They were passing through Santa Monica, the rough streets softened up by the incoming fog. We left just in time. By midnight it would be thick as pea soup, Jess thought.

Once they arrived at home, Jess was the first to reach the front door. As she dug out her key and aimed it for the lock, she noticed a piece of green paper wedged into the crack next to the brass handle. Looks like we had a visitor, she ruminated as she extracted the paper and quickly unfolded it, scanning the crabbed handwritten lines:

_Sorry I missed you. Hope this is the right house. You said it was on the corner but I didn't know which one. If this is the wrong house then I'm sorry, whoever you are._

_Wentzle_

Jess suppressed a giggle since her mom was walking up behind her. She discreetly stuffed the paper into her pants pocket and unlocked the door. After bidding her mom good night, she went to her room and initiated her now firmly established nightly routine: dressing for bed, then a little sketching, a little reading, and lastly a little quiet music to send herself off to sleep. Tonight her album pick was an oldie but a goodie – 'Cosmo's Factory' by CCR - one of the records her dad had given her the last time she'd stayed with him. He was always passing along old vinyl to her with the claim that he didn't listen to that particular band much anymore, but deep inside she knew he still loved it and was generous enough to give her a chance to love it too. This particular album was destined to end up in Jess' collection ever since she heard the opening riff to 'Up Around the Bend' when she was 12 and became so entranced she almost wore a hole in the vinyl from listening to it repeatedly.

Tonight she had no problems getting sleepy, not that she usually did. Before the first side could finish, she dragged herself out of bed, shut off the stereo, crawled back under the covers and shut out her little bedside lamp. Less than a minute later she was sound asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

The next day Jess and her mother rode inland on Santa Monica Boulevard to browse auto dealerships both new and used, but nothing really jumped out at Jess that said, "Pick me!" She simply couldn't decide what type of vehicle was best – something sporty? Utilitarian? Girlie? She'd never owned a car before and didn't exactly spend her free time dreaming about her ultimate ride. Maybe she'd better start.

"Dad would say I should buy a pickup truck," Jess ruminated aloud as her mom pulled out of the fifth dealership of the day.

"Well, I'm sure a pickup would be a nice thing to have in Georgia, but I'm not so sure if you really need one out here," her mom countered.

Jess smiled craftily. "I guess he can just buy me one to drive when I visit."

"That's the spirit," her mom replied with a brief thumbs-up. "Let your dad drop some serious bucks on his only daughter for a change."

Jess shot a wary look at her mom but found her smiling. She was still concerned. "Mom, he does pay you what he's supposed to, doesn't he?"

"Oh yes," she hastily confirmed. "But very little beyond that. I mean, what about that trip to the Virgin Islands he'd promised you for your early graduation?"

Jess could only shrug glumly in reply. She'd almost forgotten about that, given her dad had only mentioned it once and never again. It wasn't like he'd booked the flights and left her hanging.

At the sight of her daughter's expression, her mother sighed and apologized. "I don't mean to belittle your father's contributions, Jess. He's a good man and he does what he's asked to. I really shouldn't complain, there's a lot of women in my position who don't get a dime's worth of help out of their exes."

"Yeah. It's ok Mom. I know it hasn't been easy for you but I've never felt deprived by either of you. I'll remind Dad about the trip next time he calls and I bet he'll follow through if I sound weepy and say all the right stuff," she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood a bit.

It worked. Her mom smiled again and reached out to squeeze Jess' left hand briefly as the car came to a stop at the light. "So, Miss No Car Is Good Enough, what shall we do next?"

Jess sighed again. "Just go back home, I guess. I'll have to think about what I really want and get back to you."

Her mom nodded. "Fair enough, I guess. I can ask around work and see if anyone has any recommendations or perhaps a used car for sale. Better to get one from someone you know than someone you don't."

Jess had to agree with that, so back home they went. Her mom suggested they order pizza from the nearest Italian restaurant and Jess offered to get it. On her way to pick up dinner she saw a boy with longish blonde hair skating alone down the darkening street, but as she got closer she saw it was no one she knew. It made her think of Wentzle and how he'd tried to visit her the night before. Would he come back, she wondered, or should she try to seek him out? On the way back home with the steaming hot pizza on the seat beside her, she was still thinking. It would be best if he came to me, but I really don't want to spend the rest of my break sitting around the house waiting for some guy. Think I'll watch the weather forecast for tomorrow and decide what to do then.

The evening news predicted another balmy, rain-free day with light winds and temperatures in the mid 60s. Perfect, thought Jess. I'll check out the surf report in the morning although I sincerely doubt they'll mention POP. But whatever's happening nearby, the conditions should be similar. I just hope I can get to the pier without being hassled. The thought of running the gauntlet of homeless people, unfriendly Dogtown girls and territorial surfers was slightly off-putting, but Jess hoped she was becoming a familiar enough face in the area to help her get by relatively unscathed.

But the following morning brought a twist of fate along with the dawn. Jess rose by seven, dressed in jeans, a light blue tee shirt and a cream-colored fringed poncho in case the ocean winds were strong. She dispensed with the surf report; too long of a wait before it started. Her mom was still asleep when Jess left home on her bike, intending to chain it up near the Venice Noodle Company and walk along the beach from there to the pier. As she turned right onto Pacific she noticed dark skies to the north. An incoming front? No, those don't really look like rain clouds, they're too low and really dark. I could almost swear that's – smoke! It _is_ smoke. She pedaled harder, wanting to find out what was burning so badly. As she passed the Venice Noodle Company she was so focused on the enormous rising cloud that she didn't even think about Stacy like she normally did whenever she saw the restaurant where her handsome blonde classmate worked.

Two blocks farther north, Jess slowed down, her heart sinking as she realized the fire was coming from the old POP pier. And what a fire, she thought with consternation. My god, the whole thing's going up. I hope nobody's hurt. The smoke cloud appeared to stretch the entire length of the pier. Most of the rides were obscured except for occasional windblown glimpses of the enormous spinning rocketship structure. In a bizarre juxtaposition of images the ocean still crashed among the pilings that were still standing while the pier blazed away above.

All along the beach and the road clusters of onlookers had gathered to watch a piece of local history die in flames. Jess pushed her bike over to a small group of people close to her age because they looked familiar. As she got closer she recognized three of them – two girls and a guy – as fellow onlookers at the Keyhole pool session the weekend before. One of them, a girl with straight, one-length dark brown hair, seemed to remember her as well. "Isn't this crazy?" she said to Jess by way of a greeting.

"Mind-blowing," Jess agreed.

"It's sad," the guy said, pushing his sunglasses up his small, narrow nose. "I went there for a lot of birthdays when I was a kid and got my first kiss in the Ocean Skyway."

"Me too!" the other girl chimed in. "On both counts. And a lot of the guys at my school surf there. Man, are they gonna be bummed!"

"What school do you go to?" Jess asked curiously.

"Santa Monica High. I'm surprised more of them aren't out here. It was a good day for surfing otherwise."

"Maybe they're closer to the pier," the guy suggested.

"Hell, they're probably trying to put out the fire," the dark-haired girl jibed.

The guy snorted derisively. "Shit, _somebody_ needs to do it. Do you see a single fuckin' fire engine over there? Ridiculous. They want it to burn all the way down."

"Hell yeah! Assholes!" one of the other guys who wasn't at the Keyhole agreed. "Let's see if we can get any closer, c'mon." And with that he was off, his collar-length brown hair fluttering in the acrid breeze. The rest of the group moved off too, Jess with them but somewhat reluctantly. She was concerned that the wind could change direction and blow all that smoke at them but currently the breeze was strong and coming in from the ocean, sending the smoke away from them and to the northeast.

As they walked along the little sidewalk and seawall that ran along Pacific, Jess saw more people venturing down the side streets to gawk at the spectacle. A few minutes later two Venice F.D. trucks came roaring by, their wailing sirens drowning out the sarcastic hoots and catcalls from many of the nearby onlookers:

"About time, assholes!"

"Gonna have a helluva weenie roast, arent'cha?"

"Too little, too late! Thanks for nothing!"

Jess could sympathize somewhat with the kids. As she walked, pushing her bike alongside her, she tried to imagine Herseypark burning down and how much that would affect her, even though she hadn't been to the venerable Pennsylvania amusement park since she was 11. Still, it couldn't be easy to see a meaningful part of your childhood go like this, especially when the powers that be couldn't care less about saving it.

The closer they got to the pier, the stronger the burning smell got. Jess and the other girls wrinkled their noses in disgust but the guys were busy looking and commenting amongst themselves and seemed not to be affected. On the beach about halfway between the sidewalk and the waves stood a assemblage of Zephyr surfers, some clad in wetsuits with their boards stuck in the sand by their feet. They too were engrossed by the sight of the smoke, which was now billowing skyward in earnest, and the flames, which were now easily visible as they licked up the sides of the buildings and other structures which were fleetingly visible through the smoke clouds. Jess recognized TA, Kathy, Skip, Jeff, Biniak, PC and – with a little frisson of joy – Wentzle. A number of people of varying ages whom Jess didn't know sat or stood in the sand alongside them.

The kids Jess had been walking with immediately walked out on the beach to join the Zephyr crowd. The dark-haired girl called out a greeting as she approached, causing most of them to turn around. Kathy and Wentzle spotted Jess and waved her over at the same time. She cast around for some secure place to leave her bike but none was in evidence. With a shrug she descended to the beach through a gap in the low wall, rolling her bike along with her and hoping sand wouldn't foul the chain. When she reached the group, Kathy asked her if she'd seen Deb.

"No, not today. Maybe she's sleeping in and doesn't know about the fire?" Jess suggested.

The other girl just shrugged. "Dude, she's gonna freak when she finds out," TA muttered.

Skip turned around to check out the new arrivals, lifting his chin at the sight of Jess. "Hey, I remember you. The Philly girl, right?" he queried with a slight slur. Jess nodded an affirmation. There's no way he can be drinking at this hour of the morning, she mused. It must be a sort of speech impediment or something. There was a dark-haired, mustachioed man standing next to Skip, taking photos of the fire with a nice 35mm camera. He immediately began humming a tune that Jess shortly recognized as "The Sound of Philadelphia" by M.F.S.B. She had to smile at the little impromptu homage to her native city. The photographer turned, gave her a little wink, then assumed a serious expression as he resumed his pictorial documentation of the unfolding event.

While this quasi-exchange was taking place, Wentzle sidled up next to Jess. "Hey, did you get my note from the other night?" he asked in a low tone.

"Yeah. Sorry I wasn't home. How did you know that was my house, anyway?"

In reply Wentzle only smiled mysteriously and laid a finger beside his nose in the classic gesture depicting sage wisdom. He then pretended to stick his finger in his nose. "That was my TA impression, whadda ya think?"

"I think you're cruisin' for a bruisin'," TA said without even looking at Wentz. Wentz just smirked and turned back to Jess. "So ahh, I tried to call but guess I remembered your number wrong or somethin'," he confessed, still speaking quietly.

"I can write it down again for you," Jess suggested, her pulse quickening. An attempted visit and phone call. Neither had been successful, but it was an excellent indicator of the handsome skater's interest. Well, surf-skater, anyway. Today Wentzle was clearly dressed for riding the waves in a ¾ Body Glove wetsuit that displayed his nicely shaped and relatively smooth calves. The top of his suit was unzipped just enough to give Jess a glimpse of his hairless chest and the top third of his well-defined abs. She resisted the urge to pull the zipper all the way down, although she somehow doubted he'd be too fazed by the move.

The dark-haired photographer guy detached himself from the group and began stalking across the sands toward the pier. "Yeah, get some good pics of the City of Santa Monica fuckin' ignoring this shit!" Skip called after him. Three more men around Skip's age showed up and began commiserating with the big blonde about the loss of their favorite surf spot.

"Nothin' like it in all of California. Hell, the whole fuckin' _world._"

"Yep. How many kooks and Vals did we chase outta there since '67 anyway?"

Derisive laughter all around. "Too many," Skip growled. "We busted our asses in and out of the water making that _our _spot. And now…pfff." He emphasized his words by throwing his arm in the air in a gesture that was part derogatory, part farewell. "This is the beginning of the end, guys. Beginning of the end. I just know it."

The older POP veterans sat hunched side by side in the sand, resolutely facing the burning hulk they had sessioned for years. For a short time nobody spoke, just stared. Then Wentzle spoke quietly into Jess' ear: "Guess there isn't gonna be any surfing going on today. Looks like it's starting to blow out early anyway." Jess glanced over at the ocean; it was indeed looking somewhat flatter. The wind was definitely shifting but luckily not blowing any smoke toward them. TA and Red Dog came over and stood next to Wentzle.

"This is too fuckin' depressing to watch. Think I'm gonna go take off, maybe get my board and skate Marine Street or somethin'," Tony declared.

"I'm with ya," Red Dog chimed in.

"Yeah, good idea," Wentzle agreed. "Hey, where the hell's Jayboy today?"

TA knit his heavy brows in thought for a second. "Oh, he and Kent said something about surfing Leucadia today."

"I'm both sorry and glad he's not here to see this," Wentzle said wistfully.

"Fucker'd be torn up, buey," TA said with a shake of his curly moptop. "Awrite, let's split."

As the three guys detached themselves from the larger group, Wentzle turned to Jess and raised his fine eyebrows expectantly. "Ya coming, or are ya gonna stick around and watch Rome burn?" Jess thought that was a fairly apt analogy but no, she'd seen enough of the spectacle. She was starting to get bummed out herself by the negative vibes being radiated by the spectators around her as they continued to mutter amongst themselves, occasionally hoisting a middle finger high to the occasional passing firetruck or policecar. Yes, maybe some quality time with her new Hot Guy #2 would salvage the day. She picked up her bike and began to quickly trek across the sands to catch up. Wentzle looked over his shoulder at her and returned to her side, offering to carry the bike for her. She gratefully accepted – a believer in women's lib she might be, but not hardcore enough to turn down a genuine offer of assistance from a gentleman – taking one last look at the pier as she handed the bike over. Streams of water from fire hoses and hook and ladder trucks were jetting through the clouds of smoke but below the flames raged on. Despite the firefighters' efforts Jess doubted there would be much left of the old pier come nightfall. Before she turned back to follow the guys, she let her gaze drift over the watching crowd of Dogtowners, most of whom were still watching the fire intently. Only Kathy seemed to notice her departure, staring back at the little departing group with an unfathomable look in her eye. "Come on, get the lead out!" Jess heard Wentzle shout from the sidewalk. Quickly she turned away from the onlookers and hastened to catch up, her footprints showing ankle-deep in the golden sands.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **Sorry for not updating for a few days, I was out of town. Things should start to pick up with the story again. Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! I appreciate **everything **you all have to say. –Relia

**Chapter 19**

They got all of one block before a debate broke out among the three guys over where to go next and how to change clothes. Wentz kept his gear in a locker near the Zephyr shop and wanted to go there although it meant navigating smoke, firetruck and cop-filled streets unless one was willing to seriously detour. TA wanted to go straight to his house, which wasn't far. Red Dog had his clothes in a rucksack and didn't care where they went as long as they got a chance to eat along the way. Jess hung back a few feet away, checking for sand in her bike chain and trying not to eavesdrop. From the surreptitious glances she was getting from TA and Red Dog, it was becoming clear that she might not be entirely welcome to tag along for the time being. Wentzle confirmed this a minute later when he stepped away from the others and approached Jess. "Ahh, I think the guys and I are gonna get changed and stow our surfboards. Do you wanna meet us later at …Hey, Tony, where should we all meet up?"

"How 'bout the corner of Pacific and Marine? We might end up skating banks at Mar Vista if everyone can get their shit together," TA suggested with a hint of impatience.

Wentzle turned back to Jess. "Sound cool? Give us like an hour to change and eat and all that. I know how these guys move, especially once they're on their second joint of the day."

"We aren't gonna get on the first one until you get your ass in gear, vato!" TA barked.

"Pacific and Marine in an hour," Jess confirmed. Wentz gave her the thumbs-up.

"Ok, later!" he shot over his shoulder along with a grin at Jess as he turned to go.

"Later," she muttered at his retreating back. She was a little let down not to be included but decided it would probably be pretty boring tagging along while the guys did mundane stuff. Well, watching Wentzle change out of that wetsuit would be worth it, but that wasn't an option at this point, she mused. Now, what to do for the next hour? She really didn't want to go back and watch the pier anymore. A glance at her watch told her it was still a little too early for lunch. She was hesitant to go to the boutique on her day off in case Evie found something for her to do. It had happened before and now Jess was understandably wary. Maybe she could go window shopping, or pop into the salon and see if Deb was working. No, Deb's salon is run too tight. They're not cool with casual visitors, Jess mused, still standing where Wentzle and the guys had left her. For a moment she toyed with the idea of buying a skateboard of her own but had no idea how the other guys would react to that. They might tease her unmercifully for being a bandwagon hopper or they might be supportive, there was just no telling. She had seen one girl skating with the Zephyr crew, the Asian girl Peggy, but only that one time on Bicknell Hill. And she'd noted the occasional sidewalk surfer girl rolling past the shop or near campus, but for the most part the skating scene was dominated by males. Well hell, there's nothing to stop me from just looking, right? It'll kill some time if nothing else, Jess thought as she began to retrace her steps south on Pacific. She was now familiar enough with Venice to know the location of some surf shops that would be likely to have skateboards. Failing that there would probably be places on the recently rejuvenated Ocean Front Walk that might carry them, too. I have absolutely no idea how much one even costs, Jess mused as she kept walking.

The first surf shop she reached had several skateboards hanging in the window along with a rack of colorful surfboards. It was open and looked well-lit, clean and inviting (unlike the Zephyr shop, but without Zephyr's personality, Jess contemplated as she gave the storefront a good once-over), so she stepped inside. Immediately a friendly twentysomething guy with wavy streaked blonde hair stepped out from behind the front counter and gave her a friendly hello. "Looking for something in particular?" he asked helpfully.

Suddenly a tad embarrassed, Jess could only mumble, "Umm, I'm just…"

"Looking?" the guy quipped with an understanding wink. "That's cool, look all ya want. I'll be glad to take one of those boards off the rack for you if you want to handle it."

She felt a bit bolstered by his friendliness. "Actually, I'm kinda interested in a skateboard."

"Right on! I skate some but for me, surfin's where it's at, ur-hur!" Jess almost cracked up when she heard his laugh, but held it together. The guy seemed oblivious to her inner struggle as he pointed to the store's selection of skating supplies. "Browse away."

Jess did so, but it was impossible to tell which board was best. They were a number of different shapes and materials and colors and she didn't know what she liked most. God, it's just like car shopping yesterday, Jess thought in frustration. Why can't I pick something and just be happy with it? "How much does a skateboard cost?" she asked the guy.

"Depends. Do you want to build your own or buy a complete?"

"You mean one already built?" Jess asked.

"Yeah. Sometimes a complete is more expensive since it's already set up for you, but you can also build your own with the top-of-the-line components and that would be more expensive than a lot of completes. Is it for you?"

Jess just nodded, still studying the collection.

"Well, if you're new to skating then I'd suggest a more inexpensive complete. That way you got it all put together for ya and if you don't like skating at least you haven't thrown away a bunch of money, ya know?"

He had a point there, Jess privately admitted. Maybe she should try skating first and then buy a board if she wanted to keep on doing it. She thanked the shop guy for his advice and took her leave, stepping back out into the now-sunny street and retrieving her bike from the rack outside the store. Now where to, she mused. Her little foray to the shop had only taken 20 minutes, more or less. She decided to check out Ocean Front Walk and perhaps get a sandwich and a Coke at the new Sidewalk Café.

45 minutes later she was pedaling back up to the intersection where Wentzle had told her to meet up. She figured the other guys wouldn't be right on time for the rendezvous and she was right. It was another fifteen minutes before she heard the sound of urethane on asphalt, heralding the arrival of the Z-boys as they came rolling over the crest of Marine Street. As she watched them charge down the hill, making huge S-turns with their knees fully bent and arms extended, fingertips skimming the ground, Jess was glad she hadn't bought a board after all. There's no way in hell I could keep up with these guys. They'd laugh me all the way back to Jersey if I showed up with a board of my own.

Wentzle was the first to reach her, followed shortly by Tony, then Muir, who made a big show of pulling a long sliding tail stop that ended inches shy of Jess' feet. She managed to keep her place on the sidewalk, but couldn't resist giving the redhead's shoulder a shove as he laughed in her face. Even TA's not that much of a dick, she thought with a secret sneer.

"Well, we're back," Wentzle announced a tad unnecessarily. He was now clad in his Zephyr team shirt, white jeans and blue Vans. TA was wearing a white shirt with narrow green pinstripes along with faded bluejeans and the same kind of Vans. Muir also went the Zephyr shirt route but was braving the balmy temperatures in cutoff jean shorts and – naturally – blue Vans. Jess wondered if they got a group discount on the shoes. As she studied the guys she caught a trace of booze and pot in the air around them. Great, they've been busy getting wasted.

"So we gonna head on up there or what?" TA demanded. So impatient, Jess thought. I thought stoned people were more inclined to just sit around.

"Hey, we should see if someone can give us a ride up there. Otherwise it's like a 45 minute trip," Muir suggested.

Wentzle squinted in concentration. "Who can we call? Shit, we shoulda thought about this when we were still at your house, TA."

"Yeah, well…all I could think of then was killin' off those thai stix," TA shot back with a shrug. Jess stayed silent, not about to suggest they call her mom, knowing full well she would be less than thrilled to play taxi for a pack of stoned skaters. As they debated, a high girl's voice cut through their more masculine rumbles: "Hey guys! What's the haps?"

As one they turned around and saw Angel, Karen and Deb's younger sister Allie approaching them from across the street. Jess instantly wished she could slip down the nearest manhole and sneak away through the sewers. Although her last encounter with this particular group of Dogtown denizens had been neutral, she still felt very uncomfortable in their presence, especially since she was currently keeping company with TA, whom Karen had warned her about before. At least Stacy wasn't there to compound her sins. She ferverently hoped that Wentz wasn't on any of their kiss lists, or she was sunk.

Luckily all she got from the other girls were stony glares, which quickly melted into sunny smiles and greetings for the Zephyr skaters. Allie had an especially long hug for Muir, melding her slender jean-and-peasant-top-clad figure to his unabashedly. Being invisible to them was the next best thing to not being there at all, Jess thought relivedly. As the everyone began talking about the fire Wentz told Jess, "I'm going to make a couple of calls. Wanna come?"

Hell yes, she did. "I got some change if you need it," she offered as she trotted alongside the handsome teenager, pushing her bike. No way was she leaving it alone with those harpies – no telling what might they might "accidentally on purpose" do to it.

"Hey, do I look broke to you?" Wentzle quipped, but with a cheeky grin.

Jess grinned back. "No, I just thought you might want to save your money for a new pair of jeans." While walking behind him she'd noticed that the entire left back pocket was gone and the underlying material was little more than tatters, exposing a hazy glimpse of white underwear where the hem of his Zephyr shirt stopped. He instinctively reached back and tugged it down a bit more to hide the rip.

"Ahh, I go through jeans like most people go through…uh…"

"Underwear?" Jess finished helpfully.

"Yeah, or something even more disposable than that. I dunno, uh, a box of Kleenex?"

"Or a roll of toilet paper?"

Wentzle barked with laughter. "Yeah, that's about right. Shit, it's hard to think of stuff when you're stoned sometimes."

Upon reaching the Pacific Bell payphone half a block from the intersection, Wentzle dug in his pockets and triumphantly retrieved two nickels. He held them up proudly in front of Jess' face. "See, I'm not broke," he confirmed as he plugged the coins into the slot and picked up the reciever, but hesitated with his index finger hovering over the dial. "Shit, speaking of not being able to think of anything…oh yeah, now I remember." He cautiously dialed a number. Jess could hear the faint ringing followed by a female voice picking up on the other end.

"Hello, Mrs. Peralta? It's Wentzle Ruml. Is Stacy home?" Noooooo, Jess wanted to shout. Not him, please god get anyone but him to pick us up. I want to live to see the dawn!

Wentzle listened for a moment, nodding. "Oh, that's cool. You don't need to tell him I called. It's not important. No. Yeah, ok, goodbye." He hung up the phone with a frown. "Just tried to call my friend Stacy's house, but he's working. Do you know the guy? He was at the pool last weekend, the other dude with long blonde hair sorta like mine," Wentzle explained. Jess just nodded her head, not about to inform him that Stacy occupied the #1 spot on her Hot Guy list. Although at the rate things were going, Wentzle posed a strong threat to Stacy's standing.

"Now who else can I try?" Wentz mused aloud, squinting his eyes and curling his upper lip slightly in concentration. He's so cute when he does that, Jess thought in delight.

Then Wentz's face lit up with a revelation. "Ahhh, I got it. Ok, lessee…" he fished around in all of his pockets in search of more coins but only came up with three pennies, a crumpled gum wrapper and some lint. "_Now_ I'm broke," he sighed. Jess wordlessly handed him a dime. Wentz playfully mock-cuffed her on the jaw, dropped the coin in the slot and dialed another number. Just when Jess thought nobody was going to answer, she was proven wrong: "Hey, Nathan! It's Rum, what's up? Hey man, me and TA and Red Dog're thinking of skating banks, can ya get ahold of your mom's car and pick us up? Really? Fuckin' A. We're on the corner of Marine and Pacific. Yeah. Oh, and there might be a couple of other people but we'll all fit." The thought of being stuck between Angel and Karen in the backseat of a car made Jess start to sweat. She'd rather ride her bike up alone to where ever this place was, even if it was an hour and uphill both ways.

Wentlze was still talking. "Right on, see ya in a few. Thanks man, bye!" he hung up the phone, smirking with satisfaction. "Got our ride. Let's go back and tell the guys."

When they returned to the corner only Allie and Red Dog were there. "TA's gone with the chicks to get their car. They're gonna give us a ride to the school," Red Dog explained.

"Well shit, I just called Nathan and he's gonna drive his mom's car down and get us."

Red Dog shrugged assent. "That's cool. We had too many people to fit in one car anyway."

"I wanna ride with you, Red Dog," Allie blurted out unashamedly as she gazed up at the tall, good looking skater. Jess was amused but at the same time she had to admire Allie's straightforwardness.

"Sure thing, babe," Jim replied as he casually draped one long arm across Allie's slender shoulders. She looked up at him in ecstasy and Jess had a good idea where Allie would end up that night. She turned to Wentzle and made small talk about skating banks while they waited for their rides to show up.

Karen got there first, driving a cherry red Maverick with white trim and whitewall tires. Tony was in the passenger seat with the window rolled down, puffing on the last of a joint. "Let's go, guys," he commanded as he flicked the dog end of the butt into the gutter.

"Nathan's on the way down here too. I called him," Wentzle explained.

"Well, you guys can wait for him if you want, but we're going up there now," Tony replied as he shot Red Dog a look that clearly said _for the love of god, do NOT make me ride with these locas by myself!_

Muir got the hint and anyway, Allie was already climbing into the backseat so he resolutely followed her into the car, which promptly pulled sharply away from the curb with a squeal of tires, bathing Jess and Wentz in a fine haze of exhaust. Was it her imagination or did she hear one of the girls yelling "Adios, bitch!"? It wouldn't have surprised her, anyway.

"Oh, you're a class act, honey," Wentzle muttered at the retreating car. Hmm, maybe he heard it too, Jess ruminated. Or maybe he just doesn't like them either.

Right on cue, Wentlze sneered and said, "I really can't stand those girls. I think Tony only puts up with their shit 'cause they do stuff for him."

"I hope only stuff like giving rides," Jess remarked with a bit of trepidation.

"Oh, there's rides and then there's _rides,_ ya know? And I think there's definitely both kinds goin' on, if ya catch my drift." Wentzle raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Eww!" She couldn't imagine Tony going near those disgusting broads. Her estimation of him slid quite a bit in that moment.

Wentzle shook his head in disgust. "Man, I'd never let my dick get within grabbing distance of those chicks. They'd probably keep it as a souvenir!"

Jess cracked up laughing. "Yeah, maybe they'll get it framed with a nice plaque – 'Authentic Z-Boy privates, caught Spring of 1976!' Oh, god!"

That had Wentzle cracking up too. "Well, all I can say is that TA's a braver man than I am. Not that I really get it; it's not like the guy's hurtin' for chicks – oh, here's Nathan. Damn, he's movin' fast today. Guess _he_ hasn't been smoking anything!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Fifteen minutes later everyone had reconvened in the playground of Mar Vista Elementary, which was located just to the north of Venice. The playground was surrounded on three sides by sloping asphalt embankments that ran for many yards. The girls climbed under a broken section of the chain link fence that bordered the schoolyard while the guys showed off by climbing over it. Once inside the boys grabbed their boards and immediately began skating hard, pushing off from the top of the highest point and making long runs that took them down the face of the bank, over the transition to the flat, then back up to the top of the bank. There seemed to be an impromptu unspoken competition over who could make the longest, fastest run. The girls watched the action from a pair of picnic tables over in the flat area, next to one of the buildings. Jess sat atop the table closest to the banks while the other three girls chose the table behind her. None of them made any attempt to address Jess at all, which both relieved and disconcerted her. She had no idea what the other girls were thinking and hoped they would just lay off her today.

After a short time TA began to throw in little tricks such as walking the length of his board to the nose and back to regular riding position, all while the board was zipping up the bank and down again. Then Wentzle yelled "EVERYBODY BERT!" and all four guys immediately crouched down and performed large arcing turns using their outflung arms as pivots to rotate their near-prone bodies around. For the most part their feet never left their boards, leaving Jess to wonder how they managed to keep such control. A few minutes later Nathan racked up the first injury of the session as he went to make a hard turn, lost his balance and failed to bail cleanly, sending his board spinning directly up into his jean clad crotch. As howls of mirth issued from his teammates, poor Nathan had to go lean on the chain link fence that bordered the playground.

"Hey guys, now Nathan has what it takes to start a farm!" Wentzle shouted with glee.

Red Dog took the bait. "Oh yeah, what's that?"

"Two acres!" Wentzle cried out, nearly doubled over with laughter. Everyone else saw the humor except of course for Nathan, who was still hunched over for another reason. "As soon as I can walk again," the dark-haired skater growled, white teeth showing under his thick moustache, "you are in for a major ass-kicking, Rum."

Wentzle hopped on his orange Zephyr board and skated off at high speed. "Ya gotta catch me first, Farmer Nate!" Everyone, skaters and observers alike, fell over laughing again.

"Farmer Nate!" Muir hooted. "Oh, that's priceless."

Nathan glared at him. "Well if 'two acres' is all it takes to start a farm then you'd have a fuckin' ranch by now, Red Dog!"

In response to that Red Dog merely chuckled and skated away. A moment later Wentzle, ever the clown, skated near Jess' table, pulling a goofy face and pretending to almost skate into the building before changing course at the last second. "PSYCH!" he yelled as he disappeared around the corner. Jess couldn't help but giggle. And that's when the mumbling behind her began, just loud enough to be audible to her alone:

"Ay buey, don't tell me he's after _that_."

"Pff. Like she can handle any of them. Little kook."

"Chica's way uptight. Homie'll need a crowbar to break into that shit."

"I bet she gags when she pours the conditioner!"

Jess felt first her ears, then her entire face burning. It took every ounce of willpower she had to keep her back to the now-sniggering girls and not show what she felt, namely confusion, frustration and rising anger. Confronting them will do no good, she thought. In fact I bet that's just what they want me to do. It'll give them an excuse to kick my ass and I have a feeling they won't hesitate to go three on one, the ghetto trash whores. Well, two on one, anyway. I don't think Allie is saying any of that crap but she's not exactly defending me, either.

As she mused and tried to tune out the venomous voices – now speculating on what kind of diseases Philly people might carry – Wentzle skated past again, intent on some other nutball prank. He slowed down and did a tail stop when he saw the look on Jess' still-crimson face, then skated over to stand in front of her. "Everything cool?" he asked casually, but with a hint of concern that he couldn't quite mask.

"Yeah, of course," Jess replied without hesitation, but rolled her eyes hard so he'd get the message.

Wentzle flicked an annoyed glance at the other girls, who were now perfectly silent. And probably wearing shit-eating grins to boot, Jess mused sardonically. "Hey, c'mere for a minute," he told Jess as he reached down and took one hand, pulling her off the picnic table. She went with him willingly and didn't dare look back as he led her around the corner and alongside the building for a good 20 yards.

When they were well out of earshot of the rest, Wentzle stopped and turned to face her. "For real, do you want me to tell those chicks to fuck off? I know they were talking shit to you, don't try to tell me otherwise."

"Ahh, you're a sweetie, Wentzle. But it's cool, I'm just ignoring them," Jess assured him with a smile.

"You shouldn't have to take any crap from them for hanging around us, though," Wentz argued. "They're just petty little bitches and someone needs to put them in their place. I'll be glad to do it, believe me." The fiery look he had in his light eyes made Jess feel literally light headed. This total fox is willing to stand up for me, how cool is that? She thought delightedly. But outwardly she betrayed no strong feelings at all.

"Really, it's ok. I was kinda thinking of taking off anyway."

Wentzle looked hurt. "Already? We hardly got here! A lot of the time we session this place until it's too dark to see. And more guys will probably show up soon. Seriously, you should stick around. Nobody who's anybody has a problem with you, Jess."

At the sound of the sincerity in Wentzle's voice, Jess looked up at him earnestly. "Really?"

"Really. I swear." He gave her a wicked grin. "Well, I want you around anyway. And I'm the baddest motherfucker here," he added with a slow wink.

Jess began to relax a little bit. "Oh yeah? I don't know if the other guys would agree with that last part," she teased.

"I'M THE BADDEST MOTHERFUCKER HERE!" Wentzle immediately shouted, his classic Cali accent echoing against the butter-colored walls of the building and the tall bank opposite them. From around the corner Jess heard derisive male laughter, but nobody came over to challenge Wentzle's claim. He shot her a smug grin. "So ya gonna stay or what?"

Despite his reassurances Jess still didn't know how to answer. When she hesitated Wentz stepped closer and slipped one arm around her waist. "What's it gonna take to convince you, huh?" he murmured softly as he tilted his face toward hers. "Maybe a little of this…?" His voice trailed off as he gave her a soft kiss, pulled back a bit, then leaned in and gave her another. Jess felt her mood lift instantly, all thought of the Dogtown girls vanishing rapidly as she returned his third kiss. Their lips lingered together for an extended moment, then Wentzle broke the spell, taking a step back and shaking his blonde head as though he was slightly abashed by his behavior. "Heh, sorry if I…"

"No, it's cool," Jess hastily assured him. "I kinda liked it, actually."

Wentz smiled slyly at her, regaining a bit of his strut. "Howzabout one more?"

Without waiting for a reply he planted another long smooch on Jess' lips while she tried not to giggle too much for him to be successful.

Then from outside the fence a young male voice rang out: "Ewww, grrosss!" Wentzle abruptly broke off the kiss and spun around to confront the newcomer, who turned out to be a grinning Baby Paul straddling a dark blue Huffy, the even younger Arthur Lake at his side. Both of them had skateboards and were wearing smaller versions of the blue Vans that the older Zephyr guys wore.

"Get outta here before I knock your blocks off, ya little runts. Vamoose!" Wentz commanded. The kids did as they were told, but not before Paul cried out in sing-song fashion, "I'm gonna te-eell!"

"Umm, I think everyone already knows we're back here," Jess drawled sarcastically.

Wentz just rolled his eyes and shook his head as the kids took off for the other side of the playground where everyone else was skating. Then two older guys Jess didn't recognize skated by, calling out encouragement and borderline obscene suggestions about the things that Wentzle and Jess could do with the wall as support. When the blonde skater flipped them the bird, they laughed and skated off in the same direction the kids had.

"Fuckin' assholes. Well, guess we'd better get back out there. I don't like makin' out with an audience, ya know?" Wentzle sighed reluctantly.

Jess really didn't want to lay eyes on the Dogtown girls again, but she also wasn't quite ready to leave, either. So once again she followed Wentzle as he led her back to the large open area of the playground. By now all three banked sides were dotted with swooping and weaving skaters. A bad collision is just waiting to happen, Jess thought. Hope there's no blood involved 'cause I'd hate to faint in front of these people. She cautiously looked to her right as the picnic tables came into view, but only Allie was still sitting there. As soon as she caught sight of Jess she simply turned her head away without speaking. Angel and Karen were over at the fence where it bordered the narrow farther end of the playground, talking to two guys who looked to be in their early 20s.

Suddenly Muir came rocketing past, coming from the same direction that Jess and Wentzle had just come from. He must have skated completely around the building, Jess mused as he skidded to a stop beside Allie's table. "There you are," he addressed Jess with a little grin. "I was gonna skate around and surprise you guys," the redhead admitted.

"What a shame you missed us then," Jess replied in a fake-sweet tone, giving him a little grin of her own. In reply Muir poked his tongue out brattishly, causing Allie to break her silence: "Hey man, don't stick that out unless you're gonna use it!"

Muir turned to her and gave her a long, appraising look. "Hey Allie, do you have any Scottish in you?"

"No," the younger girl replied without hesitation.

"Well, would you like to have some in you?"

Upon hearing this juvenile gem Jess' jaw dropped just a fraction, then she joined Allie in guffawing openly at Muir, who skated off grinning like a nutcase. For a moment the two girls' eyes met as they laughed together, but each looked away at the same time and let the silence return. Back to our respective corners again, Jess thought ruefully.

Across the playground the two older guys were climbing the fence as Angel and Karen held their boards for them. Jess was at a loss about what to do. In a minute the Dogtown girls would be back and all the guys would be distracted with their skating. She would be on her own and unfortunately she had a feeling the girls were just getting started.

Then she saw Wentzle skating toward her and got an idea. Quickly she flagged him down as the other girls began walking toward the tables. "Hey Wentzle, I really do have to go. Will you walk me out?"

"Aww man," Wentz protested, but obliged her wish. When they reached the hole in the bottom of the fence Jess paused before crawling under. "You still remember where I live, right?" she queried sweetly giving him what she hoped was a promising look.

"Corner of Altadena and Wayne," he confirmed.

"Well, maybe when you get finished here you can drop by, if you want?"

Wentzle raised his eyebrows for a second and gave her a quasi-smirky smile. "I'll try. Depends on who I get a ride with. But I'll do my best. You gonna be home alone?" he asked hopefully.

Actually there was a good chance her mother would be home, but she told him otherwise, fearing the truth would keep Wentz away. If her mom was home when he visited then there was a quiet and safe little park a block away that they could go to instead. She was bound and determined to have a nice makeout session with her now #1 Hot Guy (Sorry Stacy, but until you dump your chick and kiss me like that, you're going to have to settle for the #2 spot, she thought with a suppressed smirk).

"Ok, maybe see ya later, then," Jess said as she started to climb under the fence.

"Hey, one for the road?" Wentzle requested as he quickly crouched down and gave her a last quick kiss on the lips. Jess gave him a warm smile as she crawled through the opening and stood up, dusting off her jeans. She went to her bicycle and started to unchain it from the fence. On the other side Muir skated up to her. "Hey, ya takin' off?"

Slightly surprised that anyone would notice her departure, Jess looked up briefly before continuing to work the lock. "Yeah, I have to make dinner for my mom tonight." Not entirely true since I'm not _obligated_ to cook per se, but since mother dearest is about to drop serious bucks on a new car then the gesture would certainly be appropriate, Jess thought to herself.

"Well hey, I'm having a party at my house this Wednesday 'cause a lot of people are out of school. And uh, my parents are out of town, too. You're welcome to come but you gotta B.Y.O.B."

Jess was touched by the redheaded skater's invitation. Maybe Wentzle was right when he said that the other guys didn't mind me being around. Sure, why not? "Right on, I'll be there. What time will people be getting there?"

Muir shrugged. "I guess anytime from nightfall onward. Ok, maybe see ya then." He jumped on his board and took off down the bank toward Allie and the other girls, who were fortunately sitting out of earshot of that little exchange. Allie may not hate me now, but she'd go apeshit if she heard her love – or is that lust? – interest invite me to his party, Jess thought with a private smirk. She finally freed her bike, wrapped the chain around the frame and pedaled off for home, which she estimated was about a twenty minute ride away. Time enough to reflect on what had been a long and unexpectedly interesting day.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **A long one! Grab a drink and a sandwich before you start reading haha! Hope you like…

**Chapter 21**

That Wednesday around 9pm, Jess showed up at the Muir residence with a six-pack of Michelob and high hopes. The day of the pier fire and bank-skating session, Wentz did come by Jess' house, but ironically it was just as she and her mom were just about to sit down to the dinner that Jess had cooked. They naturally invited him to stay and enjoy the chicken tetrazzini and salad, but he politely declined, explaining that he'd just grabbed a burger with some of the guys after they left the schoolyard. Before he took off Jess managed to snake a couple more quick kisses off him at the front door while her mom was washing her hands at the kitchen sink. Wentzle was glad to hear that Muir had invited Jess to his party. "See ya Wednesday night," he had called over his shoulder before skating off into the dusk. Between now and then Jess hadn't seen him, so her nerves were alight with anticipation as she climbed the small stairway that led to the Muir's front porch. Several guys and one girl were sitting out there, drinking beer out of coolers and consuming different types of smokeables. Jess didn't know any of them, but they gave her lazy, amiable waves anyway, which she returned as she walked into the house. Inside the wood-paneled living room six or seven people were sitting on the couch and two overstuffed chairs, chatting loudly over the Bad Company song emanating from the stereo. Jess recognized Biniak, Kathy, PC and Allie, but the other people were strangers. As she passed through the living room she got varying degrees of greetings, which she returned accordingly before asking Kathy where the kitchen was, waving her brown grocery sack in the air to indicate her beer refrigeration needs.

"I'll let you keep those in my cooler, they'll be safer," Kathy offered. "It is in the kitchen though. C'mon, I'll take you there."

Back in the kitchen a transistor radio was tuned to KLOS, which was blasting out a tinny version of "Action" by Sweet. Leaning against various counters and appliances were Muir, TA, Jay, Nathan and a few other people that Jess also didn't know. One of them was a boy who was even younger looking than Baby Paul and Arthur. He bore a vague resemblance to Red Dog and Jess figured he might be a younger Muir sibling. Otherwise, what the hell was a 12 year old doing at a party like this, she wondered as Kathy directed her to take her beers out of the bag and put them into a large blue Coleman cooler with "Property of Mad Dog! STAY OUT!" written on the front in black Sharpie ink. "Guess my beer will be safe here, huh?" Jess quipped as she wedged the bottles into the open patches of ice.

"Well yeah, that and the fact that it's damn Michelob," TA scorned, but with a smile.

Defensively Jess shot back, "Hey, I like Michelob! It's the only beer that tastes really good to me."

"Exactly. It's basically a girl's beer," TA joked back.

"Hey! I like Michelob," Nathan countered, but before Jess could thank him for his support he added: "But only if it's the only thing left to drink." He chuckled as he took a sip of his Coors.

"Fine," she mock-huffed, "more for me then." Defiantly she grabbed the nearest bottle opener and popped the cap off her first beer, taking a good long swig. "Ahh, nice girl beer," she said with satisfaction.

"So Mikey, I hear you're grounded. What did ya do this time?" Jay spoke for the first time since Jess had entered the kitchen, addressing the 12 year old-looking kid. Although he hadn't greeted her formally he made a point of pinning her gaze with his liquid blue one when she finally made eye contact with him. Slightly disconcerted, she held the contact just long enough to be polite; just short enough to not be lingering.

"It's MIKE!" the kid barked, his voice a higher-pitched version of Red Dog's. Definitely his brother, Jess thought.

"Jeez, how many times have you been grounded just this year already?" TA ribbed.

Nathan shook his head condescendingly. "Kid, at the rate you're going they're not gonna let you out of the house until you're 30. Dude, seriously, you need to chill. Ya know, just be a kid and have fun…"

"That's what I was TRYING to do when I got grounded!" Mike howled in frustration.

Jay howled with laughter. "I bet you were, bro! I bet you were! Hey, did it involve cherry bombs again?"

Mike sullenly shook his straight strawberry blonde head. "Nah. My dad caught me sneaking out after bedtime to meet some friends." Everyone one in the room guffawed. "We were just gonna sit in the park and hang out," Mike protested. "And my dad acts like I was gonna steal a car or somethin'. 'snot fair," he pouted, looking at that moment more like a depressed eight year old.

"You sure you guys weren't really planning to knock over Star liquors?" Tony teased.

"I know, right? Hanging out in the park- man, if you're gonna get popped for doing something, at least make it something _good_," Jay chimed in.

"Yeah well, maybe next time I will," Mike snarled.

The Sweet song ended and "Slow Ride" by Foghat started. "Crank that up," TA told Muir, who just shook his head. "Dude, it's cranked as far as it'll go. It's a piece of shit but it's all we got in here."

"I'm going back up front," Kathy said to Jess. "You wanna come?"

"Sure," Jess agreed, kind of wanting to be away from Jay's ice-blue stare, which had barely ceased since she walked into the kitchen. She hoped Wentzle would get there soon.

On their way down the hall they met Allie coming from the living room. "Is Jim still back there?" she asked Kathy plaintively. Kathy merely jerked her head in the direction she just came from and kept walking toward the front of the house, Jess still behind her. As Allie passed Jess heard her mutter, "he better not be ignoring me. _Better not!_" Poor girl, she's got it bad, Jess thought with a twinge of pity.

In the living room Bad Company was still playing and the conversation was a bit muted as everyone was still working on their beer and pot buzz. Kathy sat back down in her old chair as Jess took the free spot on the couch that Allie had just left behind. Beside her, PC nodded another hello to her and then passed over the joint he was holding. Jess went ahead and took a small hit, then handed it over to Kathy, who took a much larger drag.

"Damn, save some for me," Biniak pleaded as he held his hand out for the joint.

Kathy passed it on, then tilted her head back and exhaled a huge puff of smoke. "So guys, how did that contest finish up today? I had to leave early to take care of some shit here."

"Yeah, I wondered where you got to," PC replied.

"What contest was this?" Biniak asked as he passed the joint to the girl standing up beside his chair.

"Some of the Zephyr guys had a pickup contest today at Ballona with some San Diego guys," PC explained, "but I only got one set in and then my fuckin' board broke on the rocks."

"Ooh, tough luck," Biniak sympathized.

"Yeah, whadda pisser, eh? I won that heat, too. Dinked me out big time," PC snarled. Jess realized that his accent was Canadian. She wondered how long he'd been in LA.

He continued to talk about the showdown as a new joint was passed around the room. "So yeah, both the Tavares brothers rode and they did well, and of course Sarlo fuckin' _ripped_, won every heat and against their best guy, too. And Stacy really stepped up to the plate a couple of times. You shoulda seen this one cutback he did, and on a mushy wave, too. We were pretty blown away, man."

"Yeah, he's improved a lot over the last year or two," Biniak confirmed. Jess vaguely wondered if he'd be coming to the party but at that point she'd much rather see Wentzle walk through the door instead. Hurry up, she silently bade him, where ever he was.

After the third toke her mouth was starting to get rather cottony in texture. She polished off her first beer and got up to get another one. Back in the kitchen Jay went to her side as she bent over the cooler and let his hand trail lightly down her long dark hair as it spilled over her back. "I didn't say hey earlier, so hey," he quipped with an innocuous smile.

"Hey back," Jess replied a bit guardedly as she tried to edge away from him a bit. She had no idea if Wentz knew about the little makeout session she and Jay had at the Zephyr party, but even if he didn't know, she didn't want him to walk in now and see Jay practically hitting on her. "So how have you been?" she asked him politely, her eyes on the floor, avoiding eye contact.

"All right. I told ya about my birthday party, right? Oh yeah, at the pool." He took a big swig of his beer. "Hey, don't you still owe me that kiss I asked for?" he teased.

Jess didn't need this, but wanted to fend him off as delicately as possible. "Sorry Jay, but I'm kinda seeing someone now," she tried to explain, but cut herself off at the sudden flash of rage in his eyes that came and went almost in the same instant.

"Oh yeah? I didn't know that. I kinda thought you an' me had somethin' going," he said in a light-sounding tone, but there was a hint of something darker there as well.

"Come on Jay, you can't be serious," Jess gasped with disbelief. At the sincerity in her expression, Jay seemed to back off. "Pff, you know I'm just fuckin' with ya, Jess. Congrats to the lucky guy and hey, if you and him break up, gimme a call ok?"

And with that and a teasing wink, he walked out of the kitchen, leaving a relieved and slightly confused Jess standing on her own by the cooler. A quick glance around the kitchen revealed no conversations she could easily join, so she headed back to the living room, taking another beer with her in case she finished the second one as quickly as the first.

Once comfortably ensconced back in her spot on the couch, Jess noted that a few people had left the room and a couple more had walked in during the brief time she was gone. Jay wasn't in sight so Jess assumed he'd gone straight outside. The conversation was still on contests, this time skate-related ones. Jess mostly listened as PC and Biniak listed the more recent wins that the Zephyr team had made. A moment later Red Dog and Mike passed through the room on their way outside. "Hey man, you sure it's cool to smoke in here?" one of the people Jess didn't know asked as Jim walked by.

"Yeah, I'm just going to air it out real good before my parents get home," Jim replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So smoke away."

"Yeah, smoke 'em if you got 'em," Biniak said with a chuckle.

"We got 'em," Kathy said as she pulled out a baggie of weed and a small pipe. "Humboldt holt, guys. Just delivered yesterday," she announced to the general delight of all except for Jess, who still lacked the knowledge to differentiate between the various varieties of California grass. After a few more minutes of smoking, drinking and conversation Jess needed to pee. She also wanted to refresh her makeup before Wentzle got there. She had decided to dress in a more casual but sexy way tonight, just to make sure he got the hint. That meant black lowrider jeans with a black belt to keep them from riding down and exposing her black lace undies, while on her upper body she wore the prettiest peasant top she owned, which was made of gauzy, almost see-through light blue material and embroidered around the low neckline with silvery thread. Black and silver flat sandals adorned her feet and showed off her pink painted toenails and the little silver ring that sparkled on the little piggy who had none.

"Hey Kathy, where's the bathroom?"

"Uhh, go through the kitchen and into the back hall and it's the second door on the left," Kathy replied a bit mushily. "Or is it the first door on the right? Never mind, I'll show you." She pulled herself out of the chair as Jess got to her feet, almost upsetting her third beer, which she had just opened. She picked it up and followed Kathy though the house. When they got to the bathroom, Kathy waved her on in. "Go 'head, I'll wait. I gotta go too," the blonde directed.

After Jess took care of her urination frustration she forwent the makeup touchup so Kathy wouldn't have to wait. "Appreciate it," the other girl slurred as she shut the bathroom door behind her. Kathy came out a few minutes later and Jess started to go back in, but the blonde girl touched her lightly on the arm, halting her forward progress. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" Kathy asked. "Like, in private?"

"Yeah, sure," Jess replied, trying not to feel any trepidation. She honestly had no idea what Kathy needed to talk to her about, but knew she hadn't done anything wrong. At least I think I haven't done anything wrong, she thought to herself.

"Come on, let's go to Jim's room so nobody will bug us," Kathy commanded. Jess had no choice but to follow as she was led to the last door on the hallway. Kathy went in first and fumbled in the dark for a light source. Finding a small desk lamp, she flipped it on to reveal a typical Southern California teenage guy's room: dirty clothes, shoes and socks scattered on the floor around an unmade double bed and the requisite surfing, skating and girlie posters on the walls along with a few model planes hanging from the ceiling. Almost like a movie set, Jess started to muse, but Kathy was already taking a seat in a wooden chair by the desk, which was covered not with homework but skateboard parts in various states of disrepair. Unsure of what to do, Jess gingerly sat on the bed, took another gulp of beer and waited for Kathy to get on with it.

She didn't make Jess wait. "Look, I don't want to sound like I'm prying here, but I heard you and Wentzle were hanging out a lot the day of the fire." Gee, I wonder who told you that, Jess thought sarcastically, but realized it could have been a Z-Boy as much as it was one of the Dogtown girls. After all, she and Wentz were being pretty open about things, except for him taking me around the corner and kissing me. But it was still pretty obvious what was going on, I'm sure…

She realized that Kathy was waiting for her to reply to her statement. "Y-yeah, we hung out for the afternoon while everyone skated banks," Jess replied a bit sheepishly. Where the hell was Kathy going with this? Don't tell me she's into Wentzle, she thought with a silent groan. God, is every guy in this town claimed?

Kathy leaned forward, her pretty face softening a bit as she assumed a slightly sympathetic expression. "Jess, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Wentzle's seeing someone already. A girl in Marina del Rey that he met surfing a while back. And I know for a fact that they were together today at the contest in Ballona. In fact he's probably still down there right now." At the distressed look on Jess' face, Kathy's tone got even kinder. "Hey, I am so sorry. But I thought you should know before you got too into the guy, ya know?"

Jess shook her head, struggling to keep her sudden tears of hurt and anger from leaking out of her grey eyes. She drew a ragged breath. "I…had…no idea," she got out in time. "I mean, it's almost too late…I really was into him."

Kathy gave an exasperated sigh. "C'mon, Jess. You guys hung out for one afternoon and I bet nothing even happened, right?" When Jess shook her head negatively, Kathy continued. "So there ya go. I know he's a cool guy and a total fox but you gotta face the facts: he's taken. Pull yourself up, chica."

"So if he's taken then what was he doing with me?" Jess choked, still close to crying despite Kathy's attempt to comfort her.

Kathy sighed again. "Ay, nothing he hasn't tried with other girls before. Hey, I'm sure he likes you but I know he's not going to break up with this other chick anytime soon. Their families are really tight and everything. I just couldn't stand by and watch him two-time her with you and see you get really into him. And believe me, nobody would have told you the deal besides me."

"What about Deb?" Jess countered. "She was around when Wentzle asked me for my number and never said anything afterward.

"Deb doesn't know Wentzle or this chick," Kathy explained. "She's not up with all the Dogtown happenings like I am because she doesn't live or work there. I'm sure if she knew she would have warned you. She likes you, Jess. And I do too. I really hope you don't hate me for this," Kathy near-pleaded. Jess met her eyes and saw the sincerity within. "Of course I don't hate you, Kathy. I'll probably thank you for this tomorrow, but tonight – aww, hell. This is such a pisser, I don't know what to do right now," Jess wailed.

"Aww, it's gonna be all right. Here, gimme a hug," Kathy offered as she leaned forward and extended her arms toward Jess, who automatically responded in kind. "Everything's gonna be ok," Kathy whispered again as she gave Jess a big squeeze. "Just forget about him and go party," she added in an attempt to bolster Jess' spirits.

"Forget about who?" A male voice cut through the room, causing both girls to jump and pull apart from the embrace. Angry at having their privacy disturbed, they whipped their heads toward the doorway and beheld a somewhat drunken Jay leaning against the doorframe.

"Jayboy, don't you know it's not nice to eavesdrop?" Kathy asked acidly.

Jay sauntered into the room and sat on the bed beside Jess. "I'm not a nice boy, don't ya know that, Kath?" he drawled with a lopsided smile. To Jess he said, "Some asshole hurt your feelings? Let me know who and I'll fuck him up. _Pow_!" He pounded his left fist into his right palm to emphasize his words.

"It doesn't matter, Jay. It's all taken care of, isn't it, Jess?" Jess only nodded sadly.

"No, for real," Jay continued. "You're a sweet girl and you don't deserve to get hurt. Look at me," he directed. After a bit of hesitation, Jess did so. His eyes were soft and showed no sign of anger or darkness, although they were a bit glazed from the beer and pot. "For real, you're a good person, Jess. And hey, I like you and I'm not seeing anyone, am I, Kathy?"

Looking a bit put-upon, Kathy vaguely replied "Far's I know you're not."

Jay threw his hair back, a smug smile on his face. "Free and easy, that's me, homes." Then he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little ziploc bag that was half full with a dark, crumbly substance. For a second Jess was startled – don't tell me that's heroin, she thought with a sinking heart. "Hey Kath, got your pipe on ya?" Jay inquired as he opened the bag carefully.

"Only if you're gonna share," the blonde replied as she dug it out.

"Well duh, of course I am," Jay shot back as he took the pipe from her and packed some of the material into it. Jess didn't speak, just watched as Jay lit up and took a big hit. Then he handed the pipe to her. "It's hash, ya wanna try some? Good stuff," Jay offered as he exhaled the smoke, which was sharper and darker smelling than pot.

Jess accepted the pipe and the lighter from Jay, who was watching her expectantly. "You sure Red Dog doesn't mind people smoking in his room?" Jess asked with trepidation.

"Naaah-oooh, we spark up in here all the time," Jay assured her.

"But hey, go easy on that stuff at first," Kathy broke in and warned her. "It might make you really light-headed until you get used to the buzz."

"She can handle it," Jay responded broadly. "Go ahead Jess, fire up."

Jess did so, taking a smaller than normal hit like Kathy advised. Unlike pot, the hash buzz hit her a lot faster, making her instantly higher than she'd ever been before. "Whew, you weren't kidding, Kathy," she told TA's sister as she passed her the pipe.

"Yeah, Jay gets some good stuff," Kathy agreed, then took a hit.

"Thanks to my stepdad, he's totally connected," Jay bragged. He got the pipe back from Kathy and put a little more hash in it, then lit up again. After Jess had taken a second hit, Red Dog showed up in the doorway, a half-full fifth of whisky clutched in one rough hand. "What the fuck are you druggies doin' in my room?" he demanded, but with a knowing grin.

"Spanking our monkeys. What does it look like?" Jay jibed as Kathy handed Jim the pipe. He lit up and inhaled with great satisfaction. "Holdin' out on me, bro," he ragged Jay as he passed the pipe to him. In exchange Jim handed the whiskey bottle to Jay, who took a big slug, then handed it to Jess, who managed a smallish sip without making a really bad face. "Aw, c'mon, you can do better than that," Jay teased. "Go on, turn it up!" Jess obliged but couldn't help choking a bit as the burning liquid rolled across her palate and down her throat.

Jim started to hand the pipe back to Jay, but he generously let Red Dog hold on to it and take a second hit.

After he'd done so, Red Dog told Kathy, "Some friends of yours just got here, thought you might want to know."

"Right on," Kathy said, getting a bit unsteadily to her feet. "Jess, are you gonna be…?"

Jess nodded affirmatively, then took one last sip of the whiskey and handed the bottle back to Jim. "I'm fine now, Kathy. You should go talk to your friends. I'll be out in a minute." In reality she was a bit too dizzy at the moment to risk standing up, but she didn't want to confess that aloud and look like a lightweight. And Jay seemed to be well-behaved enough to be alone with for a bit.

As soon as Kathy and Red Dog left, Jay turned sideways a bit to face Jess. You gettin' off on that hash?" he inquired eagerly. When she nodded yes (honestly), he slunk one arm around her shoulders and started to pull her close. "Wanna make out?" he asked in his most enticing voice.

"Oh Jay, I dunno…" but Jess' words were cut off when Jay put his mouth to hers, giving a single closed-mouth kiss and then attempting to push the tip of his tongue past her lips. Instead of giving him entry Jess dropped her head, breaking contact. "I dunno," she whispered again, her head seriously spinning from both intoxication and confusion.

"C'mon, foxy, let's finish what we started," Jay urged. "I know you want to," he added as he put one hand to the back of her head and tried to urge her forward for another kiss.

Jess held back, not really willing to be in this situation right now. She was still reeling from Kathy's revelation about Wentzle and Jay was cute, but right now he just wasn't an acceptable substitute. Instinctively she pulled away from his grasp, trying to find the words to let him down gently and not piss him off.

Too late. After her second act of resistance the darkness began creeping back into Jay's eyes. "What's your problem?" he hissed through half-clenched teeth. "Why're ya being so uptight? I thought you were cool!" he chastised, his voice rising to a near-shout.

Jess' hand flew up to her head. "Oh god, I think I'm gonna puke," she mumbled in a quavery voice as though she was on the verge of tears. Not really true on either count; she was certainly dizzy but not nauseated, nor did she really want to cry. Still, this should be a good excuse to get away from him, Jess thought feverishly as she began to stand up. No guy wants to deal with a puking or crying chick.

She was right. Jay let her stand up and walk to the door unimpeded, although he couldn't resist a parting shot: "Go get your shit together and then get your ass back in here," he commanded as she stumbled out of the room. Not bloody likely, Jess thought angrily as she quickly walked down the hall. The bathroom door was slightly ajar so she closed it noisily as she passed to make it sound like she'd gone inside, then slunk into the kitchen, where a few people were still hanging around and the radio was blasting "Evil Woman" by ELO. That's me, the evil, lying, sneaking out woman, Jess thought, but with no shame. Whatever it took to get out of Jay's clutches, she'd do it. At least I didn't have to struggle or scream rape, not that I would have hesitated to do so, she thought as she walked briskly down the hall and through the living room, paying no heed to the people around her.

She got out the front door without incident, but stopped in her tracks on the porch at the sight of Jim's younger brother tackling another kid of similar age and knocking him to the ground at the bottom of the front steps. They began to wrestle, rolling from side to side on the narrow walkway. Off to her right, he heard TA amusedly say: "Check it out, Muir. Why's your brother's fighting his supposedly best friend?"

Muir leaned over the railing and drained the last of his beer. "Fighting? I thought they were kissing!" Red Dog's voice rang out loud and clear, causing the two wrestlers to instantly break apart and stand up, embarrassedly smoothing down their hair and brushing off their clothes.

In any other circumstances Jess would have been amused, but all she could think of now was escape. Without as much as a sidewise glance, she quickly skipped down the stairs and hit the sidewalk at a trot. She had no idea if she was even going in the right direction towards home and she didn't care. All I want to do is get the hell out of here and away from these people. The hell with 'em, I don't need 'em. Screw that deceitful Wentzle, screw that obnoxious Jay, screw the lot of 'em. I'll find another crowd to hang out with that's better. And even cooler. The hell with Dogto-

Her thoughts were cut off at the sound of sneaker-clad footsteps on the darkened sidewalk behind her. She took a quick peek over her shoulder and was just able to make out a male silhouette in the near-blackness and he was coming up fast. Oh god. Jay's figured out my game and he's out to track me down, Jess thought, the primitive part of her brain suddenly terrified into fight or flight mode. Even if she wasn't completely fucked up from the hash and the booze, there was no way she could outrun a male in his kind of shape and not being from the neighborhood, she knew of no hiding places to duck into. And of course the street was empty of passing cars and the houses closest to her were dark, so she could forget about rescue from that quarter. There was only one course of action left to her – she dug out her keys, put one between each finger, and spun around to confront her would-be attacker. Although she almost fell over from the action of spinning so quickly, she managed to recover, planting her feet in a secure stance and instinctively baring her teeth in a silent snarl. Come on and take me if you think you're tough enough, Jayboy!

Immediately her shadower pulled up short a few yards away, putting his hands out defensively. In the darkness of the tree-lined street Jess could only get a dim impression of his outline, but he seemed to be taller than Jay. Hurriedly he exclaimed, "Whoa, easy there! We know each other. It's Stacy, the guy from Math class!"

Sure enough, as he spoke he edged close enough for Jess to clearly see his distinctive hair and familiar features lit up by the streetlight on the far corner. Still in near-panic mode with her heart literally slamming against her ribcage, she couldn't speak for a moment but just stood there shaking as she slowly lowered her key-studded hand to her side. "Are you ok?" Stacy asked concernedly.

"I dunno…Do people faint forwards or backwards?"

And with that stammered reply, she proceeded to find out the answer firsthand.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

As it turned out, Jess didn't faint to the point of losing consciousness, just pitched forward as her watery legs gave out and caused her to half-fall, half-kneel. Fortunately before her knees could hit the pavement Stacy was at her side, gripping her right elbow in one hand and holding on to her belt with the other. "Ooops, you don't wanna do that. Up ya go," he urged as he helped pull her back to a standing position. Once she was (relatively) steadily on her feet again, he gingerly released his hold and stepped back a couple of feet. He's probably afraid I'm going to ralph on his shoes, Jess thought a bit drunkenly as she brought her hands to her spinning head. She realized Stacy was trying to talk to her. "Umm, sorry, what did you just say?" she asked him, trying not to slur.

"I was just wondering where you were going," Stacy repeated. "Do you live walking distance from here? Please don't tell me you were about to drive somewhere 'cause you're in no fit state," he cautioned. Jess caught the note of sincerity in his voice and was a bit touched, although the need to stay upright and not drool beat out more advanced abilities such as showing gratitude or making well-formed replies.

"I live uh…sorta walking distance from here," she explained. Wentzle was right, she mused, it is hard to think of things when you're stoned. Like your home address, for one. For a moment a new wave of panic brushed by her as she realized she wasn't entirely sure where her home was. In her confused state Red Dog's street looked a little like her best friend's street back in her old hometown and she started to think that her house was four blocks away to the east, but she knew that wasn't right, either.

It wasn't too dark for Stacy to see the obviously confused look on her face. His own features went from puzzlement to understanding as he realized he was talking to a girl who was very far from sober at the moment. He immediately went into chivalry mode: "Hey, can I give you a ride home? No offense but you look pretty wasted. You shouldn't be walking around here alone."

Jess almost shook her head to refuse, but had to admit that she'd be pretty stupid to turn down a genuine offer of help. And what the hell, I'm pretty sure I can trust him to get me home in one piece, she thought hopefully. "Yeah, that would be cool," she agreed.

"Ok, just let me go back to the party and tell some people goodbye…" Upon taking a closer look at Jess, Stacy reconsidered. "On second thought, forget 'em. I just got there anyway. Let's go." He guided her a little farther down the block to a cream-colored squareback Volvo. Jess thought it had curtains covering the back windows but couldn't be sure in the dim light. Stacy unlocked the passenger door for her and helped her in, then let himself into the driver's side and settled behind the wheel, digging out his keys and fumbling for the ignition. Jess realized she was sitting on something square and uncomfortable. Digging delicately beneath her backside, she pulled out a cassette tape box and squinted at it. She could sort of make out the words "Songs for Camille" on the label followed by a list of titles, all written in a slightly sloping and crabbed hand, but before she could read further Stacy noticed what she was doing. "Oh, I'll get that out of your way for you," he offered as he diplomatically took the little plastic box from her fingers and tossed it into the backseat. Before he started the car he turned to face Jess. "Hey, you _do _remember me, right?"

"Yeah, of course," she replied as smoothly as possible. "Led Zep and the Allmans. Sure, I remember." God, her head felt like one of those desk globes being endlessly spun by some bored little kid. Please let me sober up before I say or – god forbid – do something really stupid.

"Ok, good. Just makin' sure." Stacy cranked the ignition and reached for the stereo, his hand lingering over the power button as he looked at Jess again. "Music ok, or is that going to bother you?"

"Long as it's not opera or squeaky violins," Jess answered truthfully. Anything too high pitched would make her puke for sure. Stacy shot her a little grin and turned on the stereo. The mellow sounds of the Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore East came gliding out of the speakers. "'zat ok?" he asked politely. Jess merely nodded her confirmation.

The Volvo remained at the curb. "Umm sorry, but where am I taking you?" Stacy queried patiently.

Jess had been sitting half-sagged against the doorframe, already losing herself in the music. At Stacy's question she sat up straighter. "Oh! Umm, let me think. I'm kinda turned around here, sorry."

Stacy gave an understanding chuckle. "It's cool, take your time. How 'bout you tell me where you live and I'll figure out how to get there?"

"Ok. You know this area pretty well?"

"Born and raised here," Stacy declared proudly. "So the street is…?" Jess told him the intersection. "Gotcha. Yeah, that's not too far to drive but I wouldn't want to walk it, at least not at night." He pulled away from the curb and headed north at the first intersection. As he drove Stacy took occasional glances at Jess, who had her eyes open but somewhat unfocused on the middle distance beyond the windshield. He idly wondered what she'd taken, but since she was acting gravely ill or on the verge of an overdose he wasn't overly worried. A thought did occur to him, though, as he turned onto Centinela: "Hey, not to be nosy, but do you live with anyone who might not be cool with you coming home…y'know…"

Jess laughed weakly. "All messed up?" It was a good question, actually. She glanced at her watch – 10:10. Damn, I was only there for just over an hour? Jess was amazed at how much had happened in such a short space of time – and how much she had consumed in that same short space. I really don't need to make a habit of that, she thought warily.

The lights of an all-night diner came into view. "Hey, you wanna stop and get something to eat? It might help," Stacy suggested.

Now that he mentioned it, Jess did feel a little hungry. She'd barely eaten all day, too excited about the party and seeing Wentzle to have much of an appetite. Wentzle…she shook her head angrily.

"So you don't wanna stop?" Stacy asked, disappointment in his voice.

"What? Oh, no! I mean yeah! I mean, sure, let's stop. Sorry, I was just thinking about…someone," she explained. Stacy quickly made a left into the restaurant parking lot and pulled into an empty space near the front door. "Well, you can talk about it over a late dinner, if you want," he offered gallantly as he exited the car. Jess began to fumble for the handle, but a second later Stacy was opening the door for her. She managed a smile of thanks as she got out, still feeling wobbly but a little less out-of-control dizzy.

They walked together into the mostly empty diner, Stacy's hand resting lightly beneath her right elbow in case she fell again. They sank into opposite sides of a booth and the waitress came by and deposited menus in front of them. Jess was expecting glasses of ice water as well, but remembered that there was none to be had unless requested due to the growing drought.

"Man, I don't know about you but I'm starving," Stacy declared as he scanned the menu. "I've been running around all day and haven't had a chance to eat one proper meal."

"I hear ya," Jess agreed, opening her own menu and looking over the choices.

When the waitress came back Stacy ordered a thick hamburger done medium rare along with fries. Jess decided on breakfast food, which caused Stacy to raise one light-colored eyebrow at her, but he kept mum.

"I know, it's drunk food. But hey, I'm drunk!" she declared almost proudly, to Stacy's instant mirth.

"So what did I miss back at the party?" he asked once he'd stopped chuckling.

Past caring about discretion or decorum at this point, Jess started to tell him the major highlights as they waited for their food – who was there, what they drank and smoke, and what they said. She did remember to tell him how highly PC had spoken of his surfing ability, which made Stacy both beam with pride and blush at the same time. "That's awesome to hear. Paul's a great surfer himself," Stacy mumbled modestly as the waitress set their orders down on the table.

As they ate Jess continued her tale, even mentioning Kathy's bad news about Wentzle and Jay's boorish behavior afterward. "I pretended I was going to be sick and got the hell out of there," Jess explained. "And that's why I was leaving there so fast. Hey, where were you, anyway?" I swear I didn't see you around there at all until you caught up to me outside."

"I had only just gotten there like ten minutes before you came out," Stacy told her. "I like to stand outside at parties. It's usually too smoky and noisy inside. I much prefer some fresh air," he confessed.

Jess wasn't sure if the Los Angeles air could really be classified as "fresh" but had to agree with the general sentiment. "Yeah, I got really claustrophobic in there. It felt so good to get outside and away from that place."

"So did you think I was Jay or something when I was walking up behind you?" Stacy asked with a slightly embarrassed expression.

"Yeah, I did! And I was sooo relieved it was you and not him," Jess admitted.

"I bet you were." Stacy met her eyes briefly and gave her a little smile before digging into his fries. "You can have some if you want," he said as he indicated his plate.

"Thanks, but I got enough here," Jess politely replied, taking another bite of pancake. She reached for the syrup and poured more on, collecting the sticky liquid that ran down the side of the pourer on her fingertip and then licking it clean unabashedly. With any other Dogtown guy she'd worry about seeming flirty, but she knew Stacy wouldn't misinterpret her action as an excuse to trot out his base instincts.

They ate in silence for a minute, then Stacy said, "That's really shitty about Wentzle. I didn't think he was like that, but I really don't know him that well, either."

"Yeah, it was pretty shitty, but I'm ok about it now. I'm definitely not hung up on Wentzle," she assured him, not wanting to sound neurotic. And as she uttered the words she realized they were true. Kathy was right, nothing significant had happened between them and there was no reason to stay bent out of shape over it. Yeah, all was definitely cool.

"Good to hear it," Stacy replied as he took a gulp of his soft drink. "And for the record, I'm not hung up on my girlfriend. I mean _ex_-girlfriend," he corrected himself.

"Oh? First big romance from a long time ago?" Jess inquired lightly.

Stacy's eyebrows flicked up then settled back again as the corners of his mouth turned down a bit. "No, more like second big romance. And we've been officially broken up for oh, about…" He broke off to look at his watch "…four hours, now."

Jess couldn't stop her eyebrows from flying up in surprise. "Wait, do you mean the girl who was with you at the pool last weekend?"

Stacy just nodded. "Yeah," he replied a little sadly despite his assurances that he was okay about the situation. "Things had been in a rut with us, pretty much. She kinda wanted one thing and I wanted another," he explained vaguely. "So today we had a serious talk and mutually decided to break it off."

"Geez, I'm sorry to hear that," Jess said with sincerity. Although she had certainly fancied Stacy ever since she laid eyes on the him, he and Camille had made a cute couple. She never imagined that it would be over like that, no matter what Camille had said about feeling frustrated and left out of Stacy's activities. Jess thought maybe they would work things out somehow. She surreptitiously watched Stacy eating for a moment and decided he did seem pretty ok, at least on the outside. He was definitely a Zen kinda guy, she privately reflected. I may not know him that well, but I do know that.

A few minutes later they were both finished eating, their respective plates pushed away from them and their drink glasses empty. When the waitress came over to ask if they wanted anything more, Stacy merely requested the check. After the waitress brought it to them Jess began digging in her pockets for the five dollar bill she was sure he had on her, but Stacy stopped her with an airy wave of his hand. "I got it, don't worry."

"You sure?" Jess automatically asked. "I mean, I'm a liberated lady who doesn't mind paying her way." She was starting to recover enough to joke again, she realized in relief.

Stacy gave a short burst of laughter, plucked the check from the tabletop and stood up. "Ready to go?"

After they paid and hit the respective restrooms (Jess was pleased that she walked out of the ladies' room at the same time Stacy left the mens'. Nothing bothered her quite like masculine teasing at how long women took in the bathroom), they headed back out to the car. Jess was feeling distinctly better, but still a little muddle-headed, which was probably from that hash, she ruminated as she settled back into the Volvo's passenger seat.

Stacy hopped behind the wheel and started the car. "You ready to go home yet, or do you need more time?" he asked, ever the gentleman.

Jess contemplated her choice for a minute. Her mom had set her curfew for a generous one am since Jess didn't have school tomorrow. The clock on the dash read 11. Why go back now when she had another two hours of freedom? "Welll, I kinda don't want to go back yet, but I'm definitely not going back to that party," Jess informed Stacy. "I mean, you can take me home and go back to Red Dog's if you want to," she added quickly, not wanting to hijack the poor guy's evening entirely.

"I really don't want to go back there either, sounds like it was a little too intense for my liking," Stacy told her. He leaned over the steering wheel, rested his chin on his hands and drummed his fingers against the top of the wheel as he made a moue of contemplation. "I don't really wanna go home either. That's a total drag right now," he confessed, winning an understanding smile from Jess.

"Well, it's up to you. You're the driver," she told him with a little laugh.

"Yeah, so drive, driver, drive," Stacy jibed. "But where to? Hmm." As he thought of options he leaned forward again and tilted his head up to look out of the windshield at the night sky, which was pretty well obscured by the bright streetlights around the parking lot. An idea seemed to come to him then, lighting his features up with hope.

"Hey, don't take this the wrong way, but would you like to just go for a drive? I know a great place to sit and look at the city lights. Have you had a chance to do that since you moved here?"

Jess admitted that she had not yet had the opportunity to view LA from above at night.

"So ya wanna go check it out?" Stacy queried, his hand over the gearshift, ready to put the car in reverse.

"Sure, why not?" Jess quipped.

"Awesome. You'll be blown away by this view. It's unreal," Stacy enthused as he put the car in motion, pulling out of the lot and turning back onto Centinela in the direction they had come from. A few minutes later the Allman Brothers tape ran out. "What do you wanna hear next?" Stacy asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Whatever you want to hear, I guess," Jess diplomatically replied.

"Well, the tapes are on your side. Go ahead and pick something," Stacy directed.

Jess found his cassette carrying case and pored over the contents for a minute, settling on one that simply read 'Various Driving Songs'. She held it up for him to see. "How about this, since we're uh, driving?" Jess wisecracked.

"Yeah, ok. I'm not really sure what's on that one anymore." Stacy took the tape from her and popped it into the dash. After a few seconds the intro to Steely Dan's "Do It Again" was pouring out of the speakers. "Ah, an oldie but a goodie," Stacy quipped, causing Jess to laugh aloud.

"This isn't that old," she teased.

"Uhh, when did that come out, like '72? That's pretty old," Stacy teased back as Jess shook her head in amusement and looked out of the passenger window. She thought they might be heading towards the mountains where her mom's supervisor lived and wondered what her mom ended up doing tonight. I hope mom's not worried about me because she I'm in trustworthy hands now. She pushed the thought out of her head and struck up a conversation with Stacy about school that lasted until he turned right off the larger boulevard and started navigating smaller roads that got higher and more winding as they went on.

"So where are we now?" she asked curiously.

"In the Santa Monica Mountains. Over Brentwood, specifically," he explained as he steered around a sharp bend. Here and there Jess saw lighted driveways that led off to unseen but presumably grand houses. She wondered how much a house up here cost. Must be a ton, probably a few hundred grand, she speculated. Maybe even half a mil.

After another five minutes of driving and climbing ever higher, Stacy made a sudden turnoff onto a tiny dirt road that led almost straight upward toward the night sky. He had to put the Volvo in low gear to make the ascent, pulling a little face as though it would help propel the car up the hill. Just before they got to the apex Stacy told Jess to close her eyes. She giggled, knowing why, but complied. She felt the car level out, then slowly come to a halt. Stacy put it into park and shut off the engine, stopping "All the Young Dudes" in the middle of its' anthemic chorus.

Jess could hear the smile in Stacy's voice as he instructed her to open her eyes. She did so and immediately her jaw dropped at the sight of thousands of bright lights swimming almost endlessly in the distance far below. "Wow, that is totally hypnotic," she breathed, unable to take her eyes off the vista. Although he must have seen it countless times, Stacy seemed similarly entranced.

They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, just gazing at the city. Then Stacy said, "You wanna get out and take a better look?"

"All right." This time Jess let herself out, giving a visible shudder as the chilly night wind swept past her, working itself easily through the sheer material of her top. Naturally Stacy the Gentleman Skater noticed and offered to lend her his jacket. At first she declined, not wanting him to give up his dark blue windbreaker for her comfort, but he explained that he always kept an extra jacket in the back of his car, "because you never know when you'll need one," he wisely explained. When he went to the Volvo to retrieve the garment, he also rolled down the windows and started the music up again.

"Now we have a soundtrack," he quipped as he handed the jacket to Jess. She gratefully slipped it on and turned back to face the city. Once again, silence descended for a few minutes as the two of them leaned against the hood of Stacy's car. When the Mott the Hoople song ended, a song that Jess didn't immediately recognize started up. It was very country-rock sounding, with a chorus about "White Line Fever." Jess kinda dug it straight away, it was soulful and honest. "Who is this playing?" she asked.

"The Flying Burrito Brothers," Stacy explained. "Ever heard of them?"

"I think so, not sure," Jess replied, a bit abashed to be caught out. Oh well, you can't know 'em all, she thought.

Then without warning a bout of hash-induced paranoia suddenly gripped Jess, causing her to jump up and do a quick scan of the area. Did anyone else from Dogtown know about this spot? What if someone drove by and saw her with Stacy and told everyone? Sure, they were much more likely to have been spotted at the diner but that could be explained away. This, on the other hand, was totally indefensible. Nervously she shoved her hands into the front pocket of Stacy's windbreaker and began pacing near the edge of the drop-off, her gaze fixed on the swimming lights in the valley below. Behind her, Stacy shifted his lanky frame off the bumper and came to stand near her, concern suffusing his handsome face. "Hey, something wrong?"

Jess shook her head, keeping her eyes averted from his. "No! Well, kind of…I mean – I'm not supposed to talk to you!" she blurted out, then went scarlet.

Stacy gaped at her, aghast. "_Huhhh? _What do you mean? Who said that? Camille?"

"No, she was cool with me," Jess hastened to reassure him. "Just some girls who hang around the Zephyr shop and the Hill and stuff. They told me you were off limits the first time I met them and well…I think they meant it." At the completely surprised look on Stacy's face suppressed a giggle and hastily added, "Well, they certainly _sounded_ convincing and being new here, I didn't want to make too many waves…uhh, you know."

"Yeah." Stacy shook his head but at the same time gave a little laugh that was so infectious that Jess joined in, already abashed by her little display of anxiety. How silly of her to be worried about those stupid girls! They were partying down by the beach and she was safe up here. Nobody was watching from the bushes – or at least nobody who gave a damn who she and Stacy were and what they were doing there. She visibly began to relax and returned to her perch on the hood. Stacy settled back in at her side, the steady wind kicking up the ends of his hair and obscuring his jawline. As he reached up to smooth it back he turned his head to give her a little reassuring smile, which she automatically returned before looking away again.

After a few moments of silence, Stacy spoke up, his voice soft but reassuring: "Jess, you know you're free to talk to me or anyone you want to, ok?"

Still looking down, Jess only nodded. "Jess." Stacy spoke her name again and she lifted her head to meet his gaze, the orangey streetlight striking aqua sparks from his eyes. "I mean it. Don't listen to what anybody else says. Nobody owns you…or me, either. Seriously, any time you want to talk to me, you talk to me. Got it?"

Her heart beginning to puddle in her ribcage, Jess could only nod mutely again at first, but then her unbridled tongue stepped in and carried the moment away: "So can we only talk or what?" As soon as it was out she unthinkingly clapped one hand to her mouth and stared at the ground, waiting for Stacy's outraged reaction to her boldness. But he merely laughed again in that inimitable way, then shrugged as he raised his eyebrows a bit and as glibly as possible replied: "I dunno, umm…we don't just have to…well…" It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he seemed to be blushing. Jess resisted the urge to giggle at his discomfiture, but found it impossible to keep her own composure. Her shoulders began to shake as mirth overtook her. In response to that a slow grin spread across Stacy's face as he looked at his own feet and rocked back and forth on the hood of the Volvo, hugging himself as he contemplated the situation. From inside the car the tape player kicked over to the other side and began playing the lush strains of John Lennon's "#9 Dream." The wailing slide guitar in the opening notes came drifting out of the open windows to envelop them where they sat, followed in a few measures by Lennon's languid vocals:

"_So long, long ago. Was it in a dream? Was it just a dream?…"_

"Sorry," Jess whispered when her giggling had subsided, but Stacy just shrugged and smiled again as he continued studying his blue Vans, wriggling his toes inside them briefly as he tried to hide his anxiety. Jess was at a loss for words now, but badly needed to fill the silence that had descended. "Umm, Stacy, I'm really sorr-"

Stacy cut her off by leaning across the hood of the car and catching her chin gently between his thumb and index finger. "Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about." And with that he leaned in to her and briefly brushed her lips with his, not quite a kiss, more like a soft touching to test the waters.

"_It seemed so very real, it seemed to real to me…"_

And the waters were more than fine. As he leaned away to gauge her reaction, she followed, bringing her mouth back to his, showing him through action that she approved of his move. Reassured, Stacy leaned back toward her and they kissed properly this time, mouths closed but lingering together for several long seconds. Jess brought her hands up to his shoulders and caressed them through his jacket as he wrapped his arms around her torso to pull her even closer. The kiss ended and Jess pressed her face against his neck and hair and closed her eyes as she dreamily inhaled his warm, clean scent, a mix of Pacific Ocean, Breck and Tide. Then she felt him nudge his chin against her cheekbone, silently urging her to tilt her face upward and let him kiss her more. She willingly obliged.

"_Dream, dream away. Magic in the air. There's magic in the air…"_

He resumed by placing a gentle kiss first on her forehead, then each one of her eyelids, then the tip of her nose – making her giggle again – then finally reached her mouth once more. By this point Jess' heart was slamming so hard she was sure he could feel it through his layers of clothing. When she placed her hands against his chest she found his was doing the same. Their kisses grew longer and more intense but he still kept his mouth closed, enjoying the moment as it was, not wanting to push Jess to the next step yet. He kissed her upper lip, then gently nibbled her full lower lip for a moment. The little guttural sound she made deep within her chest nearly sent him over the edge. Instinctively she parted her lips, offering him entry, and he couldn't refuse. Slowly, carefully, he ran the tip of his tongue along the ridge of her upper teeth, then pressed inwards to gently explore the soft interior of her mouth. He's even better at frenching than Wentz was, Jess thought to herself, then pushed all thought of the other guy out of her mind. In response to Stacy's mellow yet thoroughly stimulating style, she allowed her tongue to roam into his mouth, taking their making out to the next level.

"_Music touching my soul, something warm, sudden cold. The spirit dance was unfolding…_

Stacy gave a little moan of pleasure as he teased the tip of her tongue with his, then let Jess draw it fully into her mouth as they pressed even closer on the hood of the car, legs entangled, torsos fully in contact, with his hands in her hair as it came undone from her leather barrette and her hands caressing his back and triceps. In one smooth move Jess plucked the hair clip from her wavy tresses and stowed it in a back pocket of her jeans, never once letting her mouth lose contact with his. Shortly afterward, Stacy pulled his jacket off and casually tossed it farther back on the hood, also without looking to see what he was doing. His arms were almost fever-hot, as Jess discovered as she slowly dragged her fingers up his biceps, then down over his triceps, caressing them as they jutted slightly beneath his warm skin. As they continued to kiss, he slid his hands down to trace her jawline, then pulled her hair back and bent down to tease the side of her neck with a series of little bites. It felt delightful but also tickled somewhat, and Jess threw her head back to laugh with pleasure as Stacy reached her collarbone.

He pulled back to regard her for a moment. "You like that, huh?" he quipped with one of his little laughs.

"Mmm. Well, see for yourself," Jess replied mischievously, then brought her mouth to his warm neck and proceeded to nip and lick with gusto until Stacy threw his head back and roared, "Ohhh, God! Ok, uncle!"

Jess collapsed against his chest in giggles. "See?"

Stacy cracked up as well. "Yeah, guess that was dirty pool, huh?"

The spell broken for the moment, they pulled away from each other and leaned back on the hood to look up at the night sky. Jess gave a little shiver of sympathy as Stacy wrapped his arms around himself and lightly rubbed his biceps. "You want to put your jacket back on?"

He gave a quick shake of his head. "Nah, I'm ok. But maybe we should get back in the car and get out of this wind for a few minutes," he suggested. Jess agreed, wondering if he'd choose the front seat or the back, and if it were the latter, how far he'd want to take things. At this point she was so worked up that she was almost ready to go all the way right there and now.

"C'mon," Stacy gently urged as he took her hand and led her to the passenger side and helped her back in the car. When he returned to his side, fetching his jacket from the hood along the way, he turned to face Jess and reached out to gently caress her hair again.

"You wanna stay a little longer, or do you want to go?" he asked her, no hint of pressure or urgency in his voice.

Jess really didn't need to think about that one. A glance at the clock told her curfew was still over an hour away and at this point she wasn't ready to end the fun. I'm way too worked up right now to stop cold, she told herself, then for the hell of it, she told Stacy the same thing. He laughed with relief. "To tell the truth, I'm havin' too much fun to stop just yet, too," he admitted. "But," he added slyly as he surveyed the car's interior, "the front seat may not be very accommodating for makin' out. So ah, you wanna maybe move to the, ah…" his voice trailed off with slight discomfit as he inclined his head toward the backseat.

Jess turned her head to check out the area in question, but the curtains made it too dark to see. That was obviously one of the major reasons to have them, she mused. For a moment she was at a loss about what to do. She didn't think Stacy would take things too far, but how much farther did she really want to go at this point anyway? If she let him take her into the backseat, would be still be content with just kissing? Guess there was only one way to find out, she decided. I'm going to trust him.

"Sure, let's go," she replied at last, making Stacy break out in a wide smile, which he quickly covered by leaning forward and kissing her deeply once more. Then he leaned back a bit and gestured toward the pitch black backseat, indicating that she should climb over the gap between the front seats. "After you, my lady."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

STACY

I'm normally not that big using on metaphors for life, but right now I can't stop thinking that lately mine has been like a roller coaster ride. You know how most days you just coast along on a nice, level track? Well, yesterday was just off the rails, in so many ways.

It started out with Nathan calling me early this morning to remind me about the surfing contest at Ballona. Like I would have forgotten already. We had only heard yesterday at the Zephyr shop that the ET team guys were coming up here for an unofficial showdown, but the 6am surf report confirmed that everywhere south of Toes was going off so Nathan was stoked. He got here by a quarter after and we drove over to the Kensington Motel and grabbed our boards out of the storage lockers, then swung by and picked up Sarlo on the way down to Ballona.

The contest was pretty intense. Solid four-to-six foot A-frames and consistent sets for almost the whole time. The other team was awesome, I'll give them that, but we were better. Ha, poor PC only got one shot and broke his board on the rocks. It was a good run, though. I started to offer mine even though it's brand new because hey, that's what teammates are for, but he said his knee felt tweaked anyway and sat the rest of it out. Anyway, the Tavares Bros both held their own and Sarlo was unreal as usual. That guy could carry a contest by himself, I swear. For my last heat they put me up against their most senior guy, a serious ripper named Derek, trying to psych me out most likely. By that point the waves were getting kind of sloppy too, but I still worked in a good backside off the lip and almost got upside down right before the whole thing crumbled on the rocks. And not even a ding on my new Jeff Ho single fin. Needless to say we walked away the victors but there were no hard feelings from the ET guys. They even invited us to stick around and party and a few of the guys did but I had already told Muir that I'd go to his party that night.

Sarlo was one of the ones who stayed, so I just had Nathan to drive home, which was good because he only lives down the hill from me. After I dropped him off and got up to my place, I saw my girlfriend's car parked in front of the house. That seemed strange right off the bat because Camille almost never comes over without telling me first. Not that I'm uptight about things like that or anything. She's just like that. I don't roll up on her place without advance notice, either. Like for like, I guess.

Anyway, when I walked inside the house she was sitting on the couch talking to my mom and everything seemed cool. At first. After only a minute or two Mom said she was going to the grocery store and left. That was the second strange thing. Neither of my parents are too big on leaving me alone in the house with my girlfriends, like they're afraid I'll call all my friends over and have a big drug and sex orgy on the living room carpet or something. Gimme a break, like I'd ever touch anything stronger than NorCal bud. Hell, I don't even sneak girls into my room when the folks are out of town. At least not after Camille and I started going steady, anyway.

After Mom had gone Camille said those words that every red-blooded male never wants to hear: "We need to talk." Well, I had a feeling that this moment was coming. Things had been strained between us over the last few weeks, which is probably putting it mildly. So I let her talk although I already had a pretty good idea what she was going to tell me and how this whole thing was going to turn out. When she said all she had to say, all I really could do was agree with her. True, I'd hardly called her over the past few weeks. True, we hadn't hung out much lately except between classes. True, I had been more focused on skating instead of her. And true, we had barely touched each other when we did spend time together. It was all true and I genuinely had no excuses for it even though she was totally pleading for me with her eyes to say something, anything that would make things go back to the way they used to be. But I couldn't lie to her. She's a sweet girl who deserves to be treated honestly.

So that was that, I guess. Well, we had five months of mostly good times together so at least we can say we gave it a good shot. And it ended amicably, always a bonus. She didn't even give me the ol' "let's be friends" trip, which sorta made me both relieved and bummed for some reason. She took off after giving me a sketchy hug goodbye and at first I went to my room, put on a record and moped around for a bit just drawing and stuff. But after an hour that got boring so I went out and skated in front of my house for a while and then I got ready to go out for the evening. There was no question of my skipping Red Dog's party. I knew Camille wouldn't be there 'cause Dogtown's never been her scene. And hey, maybe I'd meet a new girl who could take my mind off the breakup.

As it turned out, there was a girl there, but she wasn't _new _new; I already knew her from Geometry class at the college. I barely even noticed her the first few weeks because I always came in late (when I came at all) and had my mind on catching up to the lecture. Plus things were ok with Camille then so it wasn't like I was going around scoping new girls all the time. But this girl in Geometry – her name's Jess by the way, but privately I call her Jessica like the Allman Brothers song – she finally broke the ice and talked to me one day before class about music and where she was from and stuff. She came across like a real person, not stuck up or anything, just really relatable and easy to talk to, y'know? And ok, she's really fine, too. Not the usual type I go for, so don't give me that knowing look. She's pretty tall; the top of her head comes up almost to my eyebrows. She has real dark reddish-brown hair that's probably six inches longer than mine. It's funny, I always dug girls with hair past the shoulders but both my girlfriends wore theirs shorter. Anyway, Jess' eyes are light gray and they look good with her hair. And she's paler than most 'cause she's from the East Coast near Philadelphia. Not exactly a sun-drenched paradise. A lot of people look unhealthy without a tan but for some reason it works with her. The other weekend she was at one of our pool sessions and I overheard a girl she was sitting with tell her to get some sun so she'd blend in with the locals better. I wanted to yell "DON'T DO IT!" but had a feeling that wouldn't go over very well. Heh.

So after we talked that first time I started thinking of her more, but not during the times I was hanging with Camille, I swear. That definitely had nothing to do with the breakup. We would have stopped seeing each other whether Jess existed or not. No, I only thought of Jess on rare occasions like when I was walking into the building for class, or when I couldn't get to sleep some nights. Really. And when I was heading over to Red Dog's party hoping to maybe meet a girl she wasn't on my mind then either. I honestly had no idea then that she was invited or even hanging out with Zephyr people, even though she was at that pool session. You know how it is, I'm friends with those guys and we skate and surf together all the time, but I don't live for Dogtown 24 hours a day like most of them do. Again, anyway. Finally got to the party around 10pm after stopping off at Ralph's for some Bud. Not ten minutes later while I was sitting out on the porch with Red Dog and TA watching Red Dog's little brother Mike wailing on his friend, Jess suddenly ran outside from the house and took off down the sidewalk. I didn't know it was her at first because she was moving fast and I couldn't get a good look at her face, but then it clicked and I realized who she was. The other guys just shrugged and laughed but something about the way she was running told me to put down my beer and go after her. It took over half a block to catch up to her and then she almost decked me before she realized who I was. But before we could have a good laugh about it, she kinda fainted. That's when I knew she was wasted and there was no way I could just ditch her and go back to the party. Yeah, yeah, I know - Sir Stacy and the Drunken Damsel in Distress. But can you honestly tell me that you wouldn't have done the same thing? Yep, that's what I thought.

Ok, I managed to convince her to let me take her home, which wasn't that far from Red Dog's but I kinda took the scenic route down Centinela in the hope that she might be up for a late-night dinner at the Rose Diner. She was, and that made me relieved 'cause frankly I didn't want to drop her off at home bombed and have her mom blame me for getting her in that state. And ok, fine, I also wanted to talk to her more although to be honest at that point she wasn't good for serious conversation. I was almost worried for a short time there that she had taken some serious downers or something, but she told me over dinner that she'd only had beer and maryjane. No great shakes, then.

After we ate she started to feel better and get more talkative so I got the excellent idea to take her up to Vista Point but – again, I swear – I didn't have any intentions of jumping her or anything. It just seemed like a logical place to go and continue our conversation, plus I love bringing people up there to see the lights of LA. It's the perfect place. My dad is friends with the guy who owns that land up there so I'm cool to hang up there any time. May he never develop it. So we got up there and sat on the hood of the car, just looking and talking for a little while. And then – I'm not quite sure how it happened, I think she made some suggestive comment and I had the presence of mind to act on it – we started kissing. And maybe it was because she was still kinda wasted but God, she was an unreal kisser. Better than both my former girlfriends put together, in fact. Man, that makeout session was so hot, I swear. I didn't want it to end. At one point we ended up in the back of my car, but we still just kissed and caressed each other some. I got pretty turned on at that point but I don't think she could tell because I was trying hard to avoid any contact below the waist. I mean, c'mon, I hardly know her and anyway, I didn't want her to think I'm a rebounding fool. But if we had touched like that in any way…oh god, I don't even wanna think about it.

Unfortunately the fun had to end since she had a 1am curfew. Man, I hate curfews. So glad I don't have one anymore. And yet my mom won't leave me alone with a girl in the house, go figure. Anyway, I got her home by 1:05. She assured me that her mom wasn't strict enough to be pissed off. I snaked one more good kiss off her before she said goodnight and jumped out of the car. Just as she got to the front door I remembered to ask her for her number. Had to yell across the lawn to her to bring her back and probably woke up half the neighborhood, but it was worth it. Now her number is pinned to the corkboard here in my room and I'm looking at it, wondering if I should call her and when. Jeez, didn't I just break up with a girl because I couldn't spend enough time with her? Well hell, it's not like I'm going to propose to Jessica or anything. Maybe we could try some casual dating and see how it goes from there. But she's gonna have to be cool with the skating and the surfing 'cause I'll never give that up for a girl. Sorry to sound so cold, but it's true. Even if I never get sponsored I'll never quit. It's going to be a huge part of my life until I get too old and creaky to stand on a board.

But yeah, Jess seems to know the score already. Maybe I'll give her a call after I finish listening to this Hendrix album. I just hope she's as interested in me as I am in her. Guess there's only one way to find out…


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: **Just a bit of filler. Wanted to write a shortish chapter for a change. Haha…

**Chapter 24**

Jess was sitting in her room sketching out a beach scene and winding down from a long shift at the boutique when she heard the phone ring. At first she didn't pay it much mind, but then suddenly realized it might be Stacy and quickly jumped off the bed. As she opened her bedroom door she could hear her mother's voice coming from the master bedroom: "Yes, she's home. Just a minute. Jess!"

Jess jogged down the hall to her mom's room. "Uh-huh?" she asked expectedly.

"Phone for you, sweetie." As she passed the reciever to Jess, her mom quickly mouthed the words _It's a boy_ and gave her a little wink. Oh great, Jess thought as she took the phone. Now she'll want to know all about it.

As Jess brought the reciever to her mouth her mom politely left the room and shut the door behind her. "Hello?"

"H'lo, it's Stacy. How are ya doing today?"

Suddenly giddy with excitement and relief, Jess nearly purred into the phone. "I'm fine. Went to work, even. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm ok. So you weren't hung over this morning?" His tone was a cross between teasing and sincerity. Jess stuck her tounge out at the mouthpiece before answering: "No, not really. I felt fine by the time I got into bed, actually."

"Well, that's good to hear. Guess you can handle your drink better than some girls. Er, boys _and_ girls," he hastily corrected himself, causing Jess to giggle a bit.

"So what did you do today? I know _you_ weren't hung over," she quipped.

Stacy chuckled. "I worked too, the lunch shift. Mr. Clark wanted me to pull a double but I convinced him to let me off at seven 'cause I was pretty wiped out. He's been asking more and more of everyone lately and it's startin' to drive me nuts." Jess made a sympathetic sound as Stacy continued. "I'd love to quit that job to surf and skate full-time," he sighed. "Gotta find some good sponsors and soon, man."

Jess was unsurprised that he had brought his favorite subject up so soon in the conversation. It must have driven Camille nuts, she ruminated as he spoke. But unlike his recent ex-girlfriend, Jess was quite interested in hearing more about Stacy's pipe dream. "Aren't you already sponsored by the Zephyr shop?" she inquired.

Stacy sighed again. "Well yeah, but it doesn't really pay. We're more like sponsored amateurs, not actual pros. In fact"- and here his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper –"some of the guys are in the process of leaving the Zephyr team to skate for other companies."

"Wow, must be pretty bad if they have to do that," Jess sympathized as she picked at her mom's coverlet, secretly pleased that Stacy was already confiding in her.

Their conversation continued in the same vein for a few more minutes, then Stacy politely said "Well, I'm probably keeping you, so I'll let ya go. Just wanted to call and make sure you're ok and stuff."

"Well, as you can see- er, hear, I'm fine, thanks." He'd better ask me out, dammit!

"So uh, what are you doing over the weekend?" Stacy asked, a hint of uncertainty creeping into his voice.

"Oh, no plans yet," she replied glibly. So ask me out, dammit!

"Right on. Well, I'm gonna surf in the mornings if the waves are good and I gotta work during the day, but…" Ask. Me. Out! DAMMIT! "…maybe if you're uh, not doing anything like Saturday evening we could um…"

Unable to contain herself any longer, Jess said it for him: "Go somewhere?"

The relief was immediately noticeable in Stacy's voice. "Yeah! I mean, I can't afford anything too fancy, but ah, well--"

Jess cut him off. "Hey, I don't care about fancy as long as it's clean and there's good service."

"Well that leaves out the place where I work then," Stacy joked.

"Verrry funneee. So yeah, I'm free on Saturday."

"Cool. I'll give you a call tomorrow once I figure out where we can go, ok?"

"That'll work," Jess breathed with relief. "Talk to you then."

"Sure. Bye, Jess."

"Bye, Stacy." Jess hung up the phone and flung herself backward on her mom's bed, stretching her arms exultantly over her head. All right, he called. And asked me out! Maybe there is a god after all.

After spending the next couple of minutes grinning foolishly at the ceiling and indulging in a brief daydream about her next meeting with Stacy, Jess forced herself to get up and go to the living room where her mother was watching _Laverne & Shirley._ "It just started so you haven't missed much," her mom informed her. Jess sat beside her on the couch and they watched Carmine try to teach Laverne to dance with the expected comedic results. Jess used the first commerical break to tell her mother a much-condensed rundown of the night before, omitting any mention of pot smoking and making out, of course.

"So he called just now to say hi and uh, ask me out Saturday," Jess concluded as the commercials ended and the show came back on. Now Lenny and Squiggy were showing up dressed in leather bomber jackets and pink tutus.

"That sounds fine with me as long as I can meet him beforehand," her mom informed her.

"Of course. He's a really sweet guy. I think you'll like him," Jess replied sincerely, watching Lenny and Squiggy prance around to 'Swan Lake'.

"I'm sure I will, sweetie. Oh god, those two are _meshuggah_!"

-----End of Chapter 25-----


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

At four o'clock the next afternoon Jess was just getting home from another mid-day shift at the boutique. Business was picking up now that all the new Spring fashions were in stock and Evie's mood had improved enough to give Jess a small raise. Jess had promptly spent her extra earnings and then some on a new outfit for tonight's date with Stacy: a pastel blue knee-length halter-top dress that she liked because it almost matched Stacy's favorite Vans sneakers. To go with it she picked up a pair of matching wedge heel sandals and a small knitted purse from the shoe shop a few doors down from Evie's store.

She went straight to her room and dumped her shopping bags out on the bed. I want to try everything on and see how it looks, but I'm afraid it'll jinx the date, Jess thought with a bit of uncharacteristic superstitious ness. However, she couldn't resist holding the dress up to her front and taking a good look in the full-length mirror on the back of her door. As she was hanging the dress on the top of her closet door, the phone rang. This time her mom wasn't home to answer, so Jess quickly sprinted to the master bedroom, making a mental note to get a phone to put in her own room the next time she had a chance.

It was Stacy, dutifully calling to inform her that he'd decided on a restaurant and would pick her up at seven, if that was all right with her? Jess assured him that was fine and they rung off. With a light heart and tread she swanned back to her room, stripped off her jeans and blouse, then headed to the bathroom, collecting a towel from the hall closet on the way.

After taking 20 minutes in the shower scrubbing every bit imaginable and carefully shaving her legs and armpits twice, she spent the next hour by giving herself a mud mask facial along with a clear-coat manicure and pedicure with light pink polish, since her toes would be peeping out of her new sandals. Not that he'd probably even notice my feet at all, Jess thought as she went back to her room, walking on her heels so her newly painted toenails wouldn't get smudged. To kill time she decided to read a magazine while her hair air-dried a bit. But as she flipped through the pages of _Time _she couldn't bring herself to concentrate on anything, too excited to really care about Carter's presidential bid or "the Rising Comedy Force of Saturday Night Live." I'm about to go on my first real date since I moved here, and with the first real surfer guy I ever saw, Jess mused dreamily. I almost can't believe it's happening, it's just too good to be true. Mmm, Stacy…

By six pm she deemed her hair dry enough to work with and headed back to the bathroom where she kept her styling tools. She plugged in her hot rollers and when they were fully warm, loaded the largest on the top and sides of her hair and blew the rest dry while waiting for the curl to set. The cut that Deb had given her was the most high-maintenance one she'd ever had in her life, but the effort spent to keep it up was worth it. As she worked she noticed the bathroom door opening slowly as her mom's face peeped around the edge. Jess shut off the blowdryer. "Hi," she addressed her mom's reflection in the big mirror.

Her mom looked her up and down, taking in the rollers, the glowing skin and the manicured fingernails. "Must be a really cute guy you're going out with tonight, huh?" she teased.

Jess couldn't help blushing a bit even though her mom was smiling indulgently, apparently not fazed in the slightest that her daughter was indeed about to embark on a hot date with a California surf-skate rat.

"Well, I think Stacy's pretty cute," Jess admitted as she began freeing her hair from the now-cooled rollers. "Guess you'll get to see for yourself when he gets here at seven."

"Guess so. Well, I'll leave you to it." And with that her mom went about her own business. For the millionth time Jess thanked her lucky stars that her mom wasn't the hovering Henny Penny type or the classic overcritical Jewish mom. I'm not sure what she'll make of Stacy's look, though, she thought as she picked up the dryer again. She doesn't seem to be a big fan of guys with long hair, but maybe she'll make an exception in his case, she contemplated hopefully.

At ten minutes to seven Jess was back in her room, completely dressed and putting the finishing touches on her makeup, which she had decided to keep a bit understated like usual. She swept on a little more light metallic-blue shadow, added a touch of pale silver-pink blush, then carefully painted on a layer of lipstick that matched her toenails. Last, she pulled up one side of her reddish-mahogany hair and fastened it with a silver barrette that was woven with skinny light blue silky ribbons, which cascaded along with the waves of her hair past her exposed shoulders. Crossing to the mirror, she examined her reflection with the intensity of a jeweler inspecting a rare sapphire for flaws. I really hope Stacy doesn't think I'm overdoing it, she thought ferverently, but overall she was happy with the way she looked. God, if he ends up taking me to a hot dog stand, I'll die on the spot. Nah, I can't see him doing that, though. Jay, maybe, just to freak me out, but not Stacy. She glanced at her bedside clock – 7:01. Ok, this is it, she thought as she dropped her makeup essentials into her new purse and exited her room, heart almost in her throat.

She found her mom in the kitchen making up a pitcher of pink lemonade. "Thought it would be nice to offer your date some liquid refreshment," her mom said, indicating the pitcher. Jess cracked up despite the nervous feeling twanging through her midsection.

"If you say so, Mom."

Ever pragmatic, her mom only replied: "Well, if he doesn't want any then we'll have it for the rest of the weekend."

"Good point," Jess agreed as she went out to the living room and sank down on the couch. She was resisting the urge to pace even though Stacy technically wasn't even late yet.

"Nervous?" her mom called out to her from the other side of the breakfast bar.

"Yeah, a little, I guess." Jess picked up the TV Guide from the coffee table and rifled though the pages idly.

"Well, try not to be, honey. I promise not keep you two here long once he arrives. I just want to get an idea of who you're going out with and I'm sure he's going to be just fine." Her mom spoke reassuringly, but Jess only got more nervous at the thought of her mom hating Stacy on first sight and sending him away. And then the doorbell rang, nearly making Jess leap straight up into the air. For a moment she froze to her spot, prompting her mom to ask "Should I get the door for you, sweetie?"

Coming back to herself, Jess quickly shook her head and jumped to her feet. "It's ok, I got it," she called to the kitchen as she went to the front door and opened it to reveal a shyly smiling Stacy standing just outside the threshold. Jess was relieved to see that he was dressed for a proper date as well, his lean frame clad in brown cords that looked new, a horizontal brown-and-cream striped button-up shirt with the top two buttons undone and dark brown suede shoes. His hair was loose like always and looked extra-clean and shiny. As she ushered him into the house Jess caught an extra-strong whiff of Breck mixed with Irish Spring soap and immediately got a little weak-kneed. "Hope I'm not too late," Stacy murmured a bit bashfully, his eyes darting about the room, taking everything in as though he was going to be tested on it later.

"Nah, you're right on time. Come on in and meet my mom." Still in the kitchen her mom turned her head and called out over her shoulder, "Hi, be right out. Either of you want something to drink before you go?"

Jess and Stacy looked at each other and shrugged at the same time, then grinned quickly at the unintentional coincidence. "Sure mom, that would be great. Thanks." As she spoke she indicated that Stacy could sit on the couch, but as soon as her mother appeared in the living room with two tall glasses of lemonade, he politely stood up again.

"Ah, a gentleman," her mom quipped as she handed Stacy the glasses.

"Y-yes, ah, thank you, Mrs. Gioli," Stacy half-stammered as he sat back down and gave Jess her glass.

"Please call me Sandie. And you're Stacy, is that correct?" Stacy nodded confirmation as he took his first sip of the sweet pink liquid. "Mmm, that's good," he said with approval, briefly toasting Jess' mom with his glass.

The three of them spent the next few minutes going through the requisite topics of where Stacy was from (Mar Vista, less than a mile away), what his family did (his mom stayed at home and his dad worked for a movie studio, a revelation that understandably piqued Sandie's interest), how he and Jess met (more emphasis on the Geometry class than the party), and where they were going tonight ("I don't want to give too much away, but don't worry, it's a decent place," Stacy cryptically informed Jess and her mother, smiling warmly for the first time).

At last the grilling and the lemonade was finished. Sandie stood up, the signal that the couple was free to go. "Nice to meet you, Stacy," she said as he and Jess headed toward the door.

"You too, Sandie," Stacy told her with another quick smile.

"Have fun, guys. See you back by eleven, right Jess?"

"Yes, mom. See you later," Jess replied, trying to keep her peevishness out of her voice. I know damn well when to come home, she privately thought as she opened the front door and stepped outside, Stacy following close behind.

Side by side they crossed the front lawn to Stacy's Volvo. As he let her in the passenger seat, he murmured, "You look great tonight, Jessica. That color is really pretty on you."

Jess threw him a lingering, grateful look. "Aww, thanks. That's so sweet of you to say!"

"S'true," he added even more shyly before he shut the passenger door and walked around to the driver's side.

"Please don't tell me I'm overdressed for wherever you planned to go," Jess half-pleaded, half-joked as he started the engine.

"Nn-no, you're fine. I mean, your outfit is fine. Well, you're fine. Ahh-" Stacy broke off and gave Jess a quick sidewise look that was equal parts shy and sly, as though the two sides were warring with each other. So far shy had the advantage, but that was understandable given that he'd just gotten the third degree from her mom. To cover his insecurity he turned on the stereo, letting the sweet sounds of Duane Allman's slide guitar fill the car's interior. They chatted about inconsequential things as Stacy drove them northward to and then through Santa Monica, both of them palpably relaxing the farther they got from Jess' house.

"So you're not going to give me a hint about where we're going, huh?" Jess asked with a little laugh.

Stacy smiled mysteriously and shook his head, keeping his eyes on the road. "You'll see soon enough. I think you'll like it," he informed her as they crossed Wilshire.

Five minutes later they pulled up in the parking lot of their destination: a steakhouse just off the Pacific Coast Highway, just a stone's throw from the ocean. Jess couldn't help drawing a surprised intake of breath as Stacy helped her out of the car. "Oh wow, this place looks really swank," she breathed as they crossed the parking lot. "Hey, I thought you weren't taking me somewhere fancy," she mock-chided, but inwardly delighted. In response Stacy merely smiled as the restaurant's exterior lights exposed the small blush that crept for a moment across his high cheekbones.

The interior of the restaurant lived up to the promise that the outside held. Everything was smoked glass, dark leather and polished brass. The hostess, a polished twig-thin twenty-something blonde, greeted Stacy by his first name. "I was hoping that the Peralta with the 7:30 reservations would be you!" she enthused as she led them to a quiet booth. Over her shoulder she told Jess: "I used to work at Stacy's restaurant until my husband became a co-manager here. You guys are gonna get star treatment tonight!" And with those reassuring words she handed them their menus and left them to decide on their orders.

"Ah, it all becomes clear," Jess jibed, raising a grin from Stacy.

"Yeah. Terry dropped into the Venice Noodle Company the other week and invited me to bring my girlfriend, but we broke up before I had a chance to take her here," Stacy confessed.

Jess shrugged. "Bad timing for her, huh?" she quipped lightly.

"Guess so," Stacy said with a little shrug as he studied his menu. "So, do you know what you want yet? Pick anything you want, I'm good for it," he assured Jess as she pored over her own menu. Privately she was a bit taken aback at the prices but figured that his friends at the restaurant would give him a price break. Otherwise she'd have ordered just a salad and water, sure that anything more would break Stacy's bank. She decided on the filet mignon with mixed greens and he chose the prime rib and baked potato. As an unexpected bonus Terry sent over some red wine for Jess and a beer for Stacy, disguised in dark burgundy soda tumblers in case beverage control paid the establishment a surprise visit in search of alcohol violations.

Both the food and service were impeccable, with the waiter paying them visits frequent enough to see to their every need, but not enough to disturb their conversation, which covered a variety of topics ranging from school to weather to music to – of course – skating. Neither of them mentioned past romantic partners, as though they had an unspoken mutual agreement to keep that topic off-limits for the time being.

Although they lingered over their dinner and drinks, they were pretty well done by 8:45. Jess pushed her empty plate away from her and leaned contentedly against the back of the boot seat. "Oh man, that's the best meal I've had since leaving Philly," she sighed.

"Really? Awesome," Stacy enthused, his handsome features suffused with joy upon hearing her praise.

The waiter returned and placed the tall leather bill holder onto the table. As Stacy dug out his wallet Jess excused herself to the ladies' room, finishing up her visit with a retouch for her lipstick and hair. She emerged from the bathroom to find Stacy standing up by the booth, stretching his back discreetly. "Ready to go?" he asked her as she approached.

"Ready if you are."

Terry and her manager husband Sam caught up with them as they passed the hostess station. "Good to see you again, Stacy," Terry told him with a warm smile.

"Everything ok tonight?" Sam inquired. They assured him the dinner was top-flight and he showed them out the front doors. "Come back anytime and bring the lovely lady with you, Stacy," the older man called out after them as they set out across the parking lot.

"Will do, thanks again, Sam!" Stacy replied with a little wave. When they were both back in the car they cracked up helplessly. "_Lovvvely ladyyy_," Jess mocked. "Nice guy, but man, that's cheesy!"

"Yeah, but they're really cool people. That place is going to make a mint now that all these new housing developments are going up in the canyon next door. And it's catching on with the Malibu crowd too, I heard." Stacy spoke with a tad of envy as he pulled out of the parking lot and made a right, heading back toward Santa Monica and Venice.

"Well, that was amazing. Thank you, Stacy," Jess purred gratefully.

Stacy inclined his head toward her respectfully, then grinned mischievously. "Any time, lovvvely ladyyyy!"

"You nut," Jess retorted, but she was grinning as well.

Stacy glanced at the dashboard clock. "Hmm, barely nine. You want to go someplace else or…?" The unspoken rest of the question hung in the air as Jess quickly contemplated the options. She definitely wasn't ready to go home, but what else could they do?

"Yeah, we can go someplace else, but I have no idea where," she informed him.

He didn't miss a beat. "How 'bout Vista Point again?"

Jess didn't hesitate in her reply either. "Ok. But remember, I have to be home by 11."

"Yeah, I remember. Hey, why not 1 am like last time?"

"Because I wasn't on a first date then," Jess enlightened him. "That's mom's rule and as long as I'm under her roof then I have to abide by it."

"Ah. That sucks." Stacy nodded sympathetically as he turned the volume up a bit. "Sorry, I love this song."

Jess laughed. "It's cool."

He made a sharp left at the next road and they began to wend their way upward. Being considerably more sober and aware of her situation this time, Jess began to feel a little stab of – what? Anticipation? Worry? No, there was nothing to worry about. Even though he's had a couple of beers I trust Stacy not to try anything crazy, she thought to herself as the car climbed higher into the Santa Monica mountains. But what about me – do I trust _myself _not to try anything crazy? The thought of pouncing on Stacy and tearing his clothes off made her grin involuntarily. She had to hide her expression by turning her head to look out the window and leaning her elbow on the doorframe to rest her lower face against her hand. Beside her, completely unaware of her simmering rude thoughts, Stacy drove on, softly humming along to "Revival." No, he's totally trustworthy, Jess decided. And I doubt that too much could happen in the next hour and a half, right?

Jess waited on her inner voice of reason to come back with _Of course you're right, Jess_, but it remained strangely silent or perhaps it was drowned out by the music. She felt the unidentified stab of feeling zing through her again, causing her to turn her head toward Stacy again. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the movement and risked a quick glance in her direction. "Everything cool, Jess?"

Jess gave him a kittenish smile before leaning back against the headrest and closing her eyes dreamily. "Oh yeah. Drive driver, drive."

-----End of Chapter 26-----


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

By the time Stacy's car crested the little ridge at the top of the dirt road that led to Vista Point, the feeling of anticipation had built almost to the point of having a physical presence. As excited as she was Jess still allowed herself to be briefly mesmerized by the shimmering sea of lights below as Stacy gradually brought the Volvo to a halt and hauled up the parking brake. "Why don't we just stay in the car this time?" he suggested as a strong gust of wind buffeted the vehicle, making it rock slightly.

"Good idea," Jess agreed. "I'm not exactly dressed for the wind."

Stacy suddenly chuckled. "But you'd look really cute with your skirt blowing up like Marilyn Monroe," he teased as Jess slugged his upper arm. "Oww," he mock-whined as he rubbed the spot. "Is that any way to treat a guy who just treated you to the best meal you've had since leaving Philly?" At the sight of his amused grin Jess slugged him again.

Before Stacy could say or do anything else, Jess suddenly got one of her curious streaks. "Hey, how many girls have you brought up here anyway?"

Stacy's grin faded as he took on a more serious expression, but he didn't seem to be perturbed by the prying question. "Girls? Like to fool around with? Just two – Camille and my girlfriend before her. But I come up here alone or with trusted friends a lot too. This isn't some sleazy makeout spot, Jess."

"I know that," she quickly countered. "I didn't mean to sound like you were sleazy or anything. I was just wondering, s'all."

"Well, I have to make a confession – d'you promise not to tell anyone?" Stacy asked her conspiratorially. When Jess nodded her agreement he continued. "Camille and I…we hardly did anything," Stacy admitted a bit reluctantly. "I mean, not just up here, but the whole time we were going out."

"Wow, you're kidding!" At her exclamation Stacy merely shook his head a bit sadly. "So did you guys get umm…physical at all?"

Another quick smile crossed Stacy's face, then was immediately replaced by a more cryptic expression. "Oh sure, a few things went on, but whenever it got too heavy she'd back off and tell me she wanted to wait. For what, I don't know. I mean, I liked her a lot but I definitely wasn't planning on getting married or anything!" As he spoke he gave Jess a little sidewise look as though he was waiting for her to object, but she only nodded with understanding, not revealing her feelings on the matter. "And how long did you guys go out again?"

"About five months," Stacy replied, looking straight out the windshield and heaving a slightly rueful sigh.

"Aww, poor Stace. That's a pretty long time to go without…you know…"

Stacy nodded, a slightly introspective look on his face. "Yeah, but that's not really why we broke up. Or at least it was _a_ reason but not _the_ reason, y'know?"

"Gotcha." Jess was still in prying mode. "So what about the girl before her? You've never really talked about her – not that you have to," she added hastily in order that she not appear too nosy. Some guys didn't like to talk about past girlfriends and some did. She had no idea which category he belonged in. Fortunately, he seemed willing enough to satisfy her curiosity: "There's not a whole lot to talk about. It was my first serious relationship, she was a year older than me and we dated for about four months and then she got back with her old boyfriend. And yes, we did go all the way – and not just up here," he informed her with a little grin, already anticipating her next question.

Naturally Jess wanted to ask more about his first girlfriend but knew she'd pushed it far enough already. Instead she merely said, "Ah, I see. Ok, thanks for sharing."

Stacy turned in his seat to face her, his blonde mane glowing in what little ambient light there was on the mountaintop. "All right, so now it's your turn to share. What about your past boyfriends?" he queried, but in a light tone that suggested she didn't have to respond if she didn't want to. However, fair was fair, so she fessed up: "I've made out with a few guys and pretty much gotten to second base, but that's it." She declined to mention that two of those guys were his fellow Zephyr team members. And anyway, my encounters with Jay and Wentz were so brief that they really don't count, Jess rationalized.

Stacy looked reflectively back out the windshield. "So you're still a…"

"A virgin. Yes," Jess finished for him as a sudden feeling of tension began to permeate her limbs. "That's not a uh, problem or anything is it?" she asked him anxiously.

"A problem? Oh, no. No, of course not. It's just good to know these things, I guess," Stacy replied slowly, then turned his head to face her again. "Don't you think so?"

Jess nodded her agreement, the tension beginning to dissipate a bit.

"Sooo uhh, just curious, are you waiting on anything in particular?" Stacy asked her a bit anxiously himself.

"Certainly not marriage, just a decent guy who won't pull a hit and run type thing, ya know?" Jess replied with a frankness that made the look in Stacy's eyes soften and his smile instantly turn warmer.

"I hope you find me to be a decent enough guy. I really like you, Jess." As he spoke he reached out to pull her as close to him as he could across the gearshift. She accepted his embrace willingly enough, tilting her head upward at the same time so he could touch his lips to hers for the first time that night. They kissed each other deeply for a few minutes, then Stacy asked her if she wanted to get in the back of the car like before. This time she replied yes without hesitation. "Let's go in through the hatchback so you don't accidentally tear your dress," Stacy suggested. "It looks too nice to mess up."

Jess smiled at his thoughtfulness as she opened her door and stepped out into the 20 mile-per-hour wind that was blowing over the ridge. "Oof, get that back unlocked quick, Stacy!" she commanded her date as she scurried behind the car to meet him.

He obliged and a few seconds later they were reclining side-by-side in the cargo area with the curtains firmly drawn shut. Stacy wasted no time in pulling her close and resuming their makeout session. As they kissed Jess reached up to bury her hands in Stacy's hair, letting the strands slip though her fingertips like golden streamers of silk. She felt Stacy reach up and remove her barrette, letting the formerly pulled up sides of her hair tumble down over their faces. Without taking his mouth from hers he brushed the loose strands to the side and smoothed them down over her neck and shoulders, stroking and caressing those delicate spots at the same time. Jess took one hand from Stacy's hair and let it roam across his right shoulder and down his arm, lightly scratching with her longish nails and raising a shiver of pleasure from her date.

They continued in this fashion for a time, tongues swirling and teasing as each played with the others' hair, back and shoulders. Then Jess felt Stacy's hands slowly begin to move lower, down to her waist and then her hips, seemingly savoring the feel of the soft fabric of her skirt.

"This _is_ a really pretty dress, Jessica," Stacy murmured against her neck, his warm breath stirring the closest strands of her hair. "You look so hot in it."

The thought occurred to her that it would also be easy to slide right up her thighs and realized with a little frisson of surprise that Stacy was in the process of doing just that. "You don't mind, do you?" he whispered as he caressed her newly exposed skin gently with both hands.

"N-no, it's cool. Feels good," she whispered back and felt him smile as he kissed her neck again. She tilted her head back to give him better access to the tender flesh at the base of her throat, luxuriating in all the different sensations she was feeling. As his left hand stroked higher on her right thigh, edging toward the inside, she purred with delight and briefly tightened her grip in Stacy's hair. He lifted his head and brought his mouth to hers again, kissing her deeply while bringing his right hand up to creep a few inches inside the neckline of her halter top. For a few seconds he paused, giving her the chance to reject his move, but when none was forthcoming he slowly, almost torturously brought his hand down inch by inch until the entire curve of her breast rested within his palm. Jess drew a deep breath and arched her back slightly to push herself against his hand in an unspoken plea for him to continue. He obliged, gently caressing her and eliciting a soft moan from deep within Jess' throat close to where he was kissing her again.

His left hand was still toying with her thigh, also inching slowly but upward, incrementally closer to the hem of her underwear where it met the top of her leg. Jess kept one hand in Stacy's hair while the other roamed down to his shoulders and back, half-massaging, half-scratching with her well-manicured nails. In response Stacy reached up with his right hand and brushed one shoulder of her top down so it folded over at her waist, giving him better access to her upper body. Jess almost started to shake as he lowered his head again and began to kiss and lick gently. After a few minutes he began increasing the intensity of everything he did until she was gasping with pleasure and shaking for real.

For a moment he lifted his head. "Like that, huh?" he said teasingly.

"Ohhh god, please don't stop!"

"I won't," he assured her. "Hey, do you want me to take off my shirt? Fair's fair, ya know."

"Yeah, I'd like that," Jess promptly replied. Stacy rolled on his back and worked the shirt off, bundling it up and placing it thoughtfully behind Jess' head. "There ya go. Now we're even and you'll be more comfortable," Stacy announced as he returned to his prone position. For a moment they just held each other close, enjoying the feel of warm skin on skin, then he brought his head back down and renewed his attentions to her upper body.

Jess let her hands roam over Stacy's bare back, liking the way his muscles felt as they worked beneath his smooth skin. He kissed her on the lips once again, then let his left hand wander back down to her still-bared thighs, pushing her dress even higher until her silken white bikini undies were completely in view. He flattened his hand against her hip, his fingertips less than an inch away from the hem of her underwear, waiting to take his cue from her, still the gentleman despite his near-consumption with lust.

Again, Jess gave him an unspoken go ahead, this time by arching her back and tilting her hips upward. Stacy got the message and slid his hand to the right just a fraction. The resulting shockwave of pleasure shot from Jess' core outward in all directions, causing her nails to dig a bit into the skin over Stacy's shoulder blades, but he didn't seem to mind. "Ya liked that too?" he queried with a hint of laughter – the non-mocking kind – in his voice.

"Mmm, you know it," Jess whispered, then moaned as he quickly stroked her with his thumb again. It did feel nice, but she wasn't sure if she should give him this much access on a first date. What if he got worked up to the point of no return? What if she did? Did she really want to lose her virginity in the back of a car, and on a first date to boot?

As Stacy's hand began to delve inside the hem of her bikinis, she forced herself back to reality. "Stacy, wait," she breathed, catching his roving hand with hers and urging it back toward the relative safety of her hip.

"Whass wrong?" he whispered. "Oh, is it too much?"

"Yeah," she replied reluctantly. "I'm sorry. I mean, it felt great but yeah, it's going a little too far." As she spoke she felt his shoulders droop in disappointment. "Oh Stacy, please don't be mad at me…"

Stacy shook his head from side to side hard, like he was trying to shake himself awake from a long sleep. "No, it's ok. I understand," he told her gently as he raised himself on one elbow. "We can quit if you want to. But God, I was gettin' _so_ worked up there!"

Jess sighed. "I know. I was too. But I just don't want to go too far yet. I'm sorr-"

"Shh," Stacy cut her second apology off. "Like I just told you, it's ok, I understand. There's no rush, all right?" He leaned over and kissed her cheek to emphasize his words.

"Ok. I just hate to be a tease," Jess told him anxiously.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured her. Like I said, I went five months without doing even this much with my last girlfriend, so what's another month? Or two?" he added hastily. "Anyway, there's no pressure on you to do anything you don't wanna do, ok?"

Jess reached up and encircled his neck with her arms. "Hey, it's not that I don't _want_ to do anything, it's just a matter of doing it at the right time."

Stacy heaved a sigh of relief. "Mmm, that's good to hear. Look, we'll just take it at your pace from here on. All right?"

"Oh Stacy, you're the best," Jess breathed as she gently pulled his mouth down to hers for one more soul kiss that lasted just a little too long. "Careful or you're gonna get me goin' again," Stacy muttered as he sat up and groped for his shirt.

"Sorry," Jess giggled as she pulled the top of her dress back over her shoulders and pulled her skirt back down. Stacy opened the hatchback and they both climbed out, stretching their slightly cramped limbs and inhaling the cool night air. When they got back into the front seats Jess anxiously glanced at the clock – 10:40. "Ooh, it's a good thing we stopped when we did," she muttered as Stacy started the car.

"Yeah, it's too easy to lose track of time doing stuff like this," Stacy agreed as he turned the Volvo around and headed back down the little dirt path toward the paved roads that eventually lead back to Venice.

"Well, I hope I rate a second date?" Jess quipped brightly, but inside she privately feared she'd frustrated Stacy so much that she'd never hear from him again.

To her relief he smiled and reached over to caress her knee. "Of course you do," he assured her as he turned onto the paved road at the bottom of the hill. "I had a great time tonight, Jess. Don't worry about a thing, loovvvely ladyyy."

Jess laughed giddily. "Ok, if you say so!"

He got her home at 10:59 although he had to speed a bit through the now dark and quiet streets to make it on time. During the drive back Jess was busy fixing her clothes, hair and makeup so she didn't look like she'd been involved in a heavy makeout session.

As it turned out, she needn't have bothered. The house was completely dark, indicating that her mother trusted her enough to come home on time that she had gone on to bed. After a kiss goodbye and a promise from Stacy to call the next day, Jess dashed from the car and across the lawn, beribboned hair swinging wildly with each long stride. Only after she let herself into the darkened house did Stacy drive away. Jess watched him go through the living room window, her heart still pounding from their mountaintop encounter. When she couldn't see his taillights anymore, she turned away and stole quietly through the house to her bathroom, where she washed her makeup off with Pond's cold cream and brushed her teeth.

As she left the bathroom, she heard her mother's sleepy voice coming from the master bedroom: "Have a good date?"

Jess went to stand outside her mom's bedroom door. "Yeah, it was great. He's a total gentleman, mom."

"And pretty cute, too," her mom replied with a teasing tone.

"Yeah, he is. G'night mom."

"Goodnight, sweetie. You can tell me all about it tomorrow."

Sorry, but you're not going to hear _all_ about it, Jess mused as she went in her room and got dressed for bed. Some parts of the night are not fit for a parent's ears, she thought with a silent chuckle. For her going to sleep music she chose reliable ol' Led Zeppelin III, which she played through her headphones so she wouldn't wake her mom again. The cord was long enough to reach the three feet from the stereo to her bed, where she lay on her back and replayed the highlights of her date with Stacy. When her recollections reached the Vista Point part, she closed her eyes and caressed herself, slowly retracing the paths that Stacy had blazed with his own hands and rekindling her inner fire. She began to fantasize about what would have happened if she hadn't asked him to stop when she did. By the end of Side I, she was too sleepy to think straight anymore. With a soft smile she took off her headphones and let them drop on the carpet, shut off the stereo, then snuggled under the covers with her arms wrapped around her pillow. Within seconds she sank into a sound and dreamless sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

The last month had passed in an almost idyllic fashion for Jess. Much of her free time outside of class and work had been spent in Stacy's company or talking to him on the phone, especially now that she had her own phone and line courtesy of her mom's generosity. They hadn't spent a lot of time hanging out with the other Zephyr people, which didn't bother Jess in the least. After that party at Red Dog's where she found out the truth about Wentzle and had the uncomfortable encounter with Jay, she wasn't especially eager to talk to either guy again. And the others she could either take or leave. She did stop by and talk to Deb from time to time and occasionally ran into Kathy in Venice. Both of them knew about her budding relationship with Stacy and seemed to approve. "Angel's gonna fuh-reak when she finds out," Kathy informed her gleefully when she first learned of Jess' happy news.

"Oh god, I hope she's not going to jump me or anything," Jess replied, nervously scanning the busy boulevard for the pissed-off Dogtown girl and her posse, as though the mention of Angel's name would summon her instantly to bring down her wrath.

Kathy threw back her blonde head and brayed with laughter. "Ha! She's not totally stupid. Beating up Stacy's girl is no way for her to get in his good books. Nah, the worst you can count on is some dirty looks," Kathy confidently assured her.

Still, Jess thought it best to keep a low profile for a while anyway just to be on the safe side. Therefore she was more than happy to accompany Stacy to a variety of skate spots located outside Dogtown such as the Escondido Bowl, a concrete reservoir which was hidden in a ravine well to the north of LA. It was an unlikely spot for people to just drop in, given that one had to scale a pointy iron security fence and then scramble up a steep, rocky hillside to reach the bowl. Jess sincerely doubted that any of the "DT bitches" (as she had privately come to call them) would risk breaking their overgrown claws trying to get there. The bowl was sessioned heavily by amazing skaters from all over the LA and Southern California area, most of whom greeted Stacy as an equal if not a hero. Jess felt like she could sit there under the trees, now starting to leaf out, and watch Stacy skate all day. He drew the eye like no other skater there with his flying hair and the way his body undulated as he threw his weight around to rocket up and down the walls of the reservoir.

Whether they were hanging out in person or just talking down the wires, Jess and Stacy were getting along like a hotel on fire. Music and books were the common conversational denominator especially at the outset while each got the measure of the others' tastes. Stacy had already made her several mix tapes, getting her turned on to a lot of good bands. He'd also gotten her turned on in the other expected ways as most of their meetings incorporated at least a brief makeout session if they had the time and the privacy. As yet they hadn't gone as far again as they did the night of their first dinner date, but after a couple more trips to Vista Point he certainly knew the contours of her upper body very intimately. She had yet to delve so much as a fingertip below Stacy's beltline but felt that the time to move forward was coming, especially now that she was on the Pill. It was surprisingly easy to get a prescription despite her being under the legal age of consent – although she wouldn't be for long. Her 18th birthday was this Friday and she had plans to go to dinner with her mom and then a movie with Stacy. And after the movie – well, maybe Stacy could give me an extra special present, Jess thought with a silent giggle as she hung blouses up on a revolving rack in the boutique. Although I'm still not sure I want my first time to be in the back of his car, privacy curtains or not. Well, we'll see.

She was interrupted from her reverie when the owner of the pet grooming place next door came breezing into the boutique, a little toy poodle under his polyester-clad arm. "Happy Hump Day, ladies," he sing-songed to Jess and Evie, who came out from her usual spot behind the register counter. "Who's your friend, Ralph?" she asked as she scratched the delighted dog under the chin.

"My name's Peekaboo and I'm a sweet boy," Ralph answered for the wiggling creature in a high, silly voice.

"Housebroken?" Evie queried.

"You know I wouldn't bring him to meet you if he wasn't the very picture of canine santlihood, now don't you, Evie?" As Ralph spoke he put Peekaboo down gently on the carpet. Jess knelt and patted the floor enticingly, making kissing sounds to draw the little dog to her. "Yes, give him some sugar, Jess. He needs it today. He's been to the _bad place_," he informed them, sotto voice as though the dog could understand him.

Evie nodded understandingly. "There's nothing wrong with him?" she asked with concern, knowing that Ralph loved his pets as much as some people loved their own children, if not more.

"No, just a routine checkup, but he really gets out of sorts from all that poking and prodding, don't you Peekie? Don't you?" He directed that last bit to the dog, who had gotten it's fill of patting from Jess and trotted obediently back to his owner.

Jess stood back up and racked the last of the shirts. "Ok, I'm done with this, anything else you need before I go?" she asked her boss, who shook her head negatively and bade her farewell. Jess collected her purse and weekly paycheck and left the shop, stopping to unchain her bike from the railing out front. Last day I have to ride around on this, she thought happily as she pedaled through the sunny and mildly warm streets toward home. Tomorrow her mom was going to take her up to look at a used car that one of her co-workers at the movie studio was selling. Sandie refused to tell Jess any details, just hinted that it was going to be a sweet ride. Jess couldn't wait to find out what it was. She loved her old bike but having to pedal everywhere made her feel more like a kid than someone on the verge of womanhood. And it'll save on showering time too, she mused as she rode. I'm going to have to scrub up real quick before Stacy comes over. They had arranged for him to come over by five, ostensibly to do homework, but with the ulterior motive of sneaking in a good makeout session before Jess' mom got home from work.

Unfortunately it was not to be. Soon after she got home Stacy called. "Sorry, but I have to go back on our plans. I gotta work tonight, they're short-handed and goin' crazy," he informed her, regret heavily lacing his voice.

Disappointed, Jess told him she understood and let him go so he could get ready for his shift. Crap, he'll probably be kept there until 11, way too late to drop by here afterward, she thought dejectedly as she hung up the phone and turned on the stereo, which was tuned to KIIS. Oh well, I'm sure he'll make up for it on Friday night, she mused dreamily as she laid back on the bed and let the mellow sounds of Bread wash over her.

The next day Stacy was waiting for her outside her classroom, an apologetic look on his handsome face. "Sorry about last night," he started to apologize, but Jess cut him off with a lingering kiss.

"Hey, get a room," a tall, muscular student said with pretend disgust as he passed the couple.

Stacy whipped his head around to see who the offending speaker was. "Sit on it, Sarlo," he commanded the other guy, who threw back his head full of thick, wavy brown hair and laughed heartily.

"It sits on _me_, bro. Every day."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Stacy shot back with a laugh of his own, then turned his attention back to a bemused Jess as the other guy walked out of earshot. "You knew who that was, right? Allen Sarlo from the Zephyr team?"

"Surf or skate?"

"Both, but he's much more of a surfer. He's amazing, kicks my ass all over the place on the waves," Stacy enthused.

"Wow, he looks more like a football player than a surfer," Jess mused aloud.

"He plays football too, actually. Your classic all-around athlete, I guess. And don't the ladies just love it," he said admiringly.

Jess grinned mischievously as she snuggled closer to Stacy's chest. "Well, I prefer guys with your build."

Stacy grinned shyly at his feet. "Always good to hear." He reluctantly extracted himself from her embrace. "Better let you get to class," he said with a sigh.

Jess let him go and picked up her purse and books from the hallway floor. "On your way to work?"

"Of course," Stacy replied with a disgruntled tone. "Man, that job's so dull it's a crime. I'd give anything to quit, but I gotta hang in there until something better comes along."

"Sorry to hear it, Stace," Jess sympathized, then gave him a quick kiss on his jawline by way of goodbye. As he started to walk off, she got a sudden thought and called him back.

"Hey, what time do you finish your shift?"

"Oh, if we're not too slammed and Mr. Clark the Sadist doesn't try to load me up with a double shift then it'll be around four. Why you askin'?"

"Maybe if you want you can ride with me and my mom to go see this car she's thinking of buying me. It might be nice to have a guy's opinion, especially one who knows cars," Jess flattered him in the hope he'd be charmed into coming.

Her ploy worked. "Sure, why not? And I can use it as an excuse if they do try to make me stay," he quipped with satisfaction. "I'll go straight to your house after work, ok?" And with that he threw her a little wave goodbye and strode off down the hall.

Stacy was as good as his word. By 4:15 he was on Jess' doorstep, wearing a different tee shirt than the one he had on that morning. "Jeez, you have more wardrobe changes in one day than Liz Taylor in _Cleopatra_," Jess ribbed him as he walked into the house.

"Yeah, well you'd change clothes a lot too, if you got ashes and coffee grounds all over them every ten minutes," he groused, but with a little smile. "So where's your mom?" he asked as he glanced around the living room.

"Not here until five or so," Jess informed him, the hint of promise purring in her voice.

"Cool." Stacy took a seat on the couch and reached out to pull Jess down beside him. "Wanna make out?"

"Need you ask?" Jess replied as her lips met his. They kept the kissing subdued, knowing they would be interrupted at any minute by her mom's arrival. Sure enough, Sandie walked through the door at five minutes past five to find her daughter and Stacy sitting out of arm's reach from each other on opposite ends of the couch, innocently watching TV. "Hey mom, is it ok if Stacy comes with us to look at the car?" Jess politely asked.

"Of course it's ok. Hi Stacy."

Stacy gave her a small nod and a wave. "Hi Mrs. Gio- err, Sandie."

Her mom kept her jacket on, hovering by the front door. "As soon as you're ready, we should go. Davie's expecting us as soon as possible. He's flying up to San Francisco later tonight, so time is of the essence," she informed the couple, who immediately got to their feet and made for the door.

They piled into Sandie's little Volkswagen and headed north on Pacific until it turned into Ocean Avenue and then into the Pacific Coast Highway. It turned out that the car's seller lived in Malibu, in a lovely wood home that stood on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

Stacy whistled though his teeth in awe at the sight of the rustic but large house and the view of the crashing waves below.

"Yeah, Davie's been a bigwig in the art department for 20 years," Sandie explained as she pulled to a halt in the driveway behind a red Mercedes convertible that looked brand-new. The owner himself, wearing faded jeans and an expensive sweater, came out of the front door to meet them, smiling broadly. After Sandie introduced her daughter and Stacy, Davie led them to the garage and hoisted the door open, allowing the outside light to illuminate a car-like shape covered with a large army green tarp. "She's got pretty low mileage still and everything's up to date as far as registration and preventive maintenance goes," he explained as he began untying the tarp. Stacy stepped forward to help him strip it backward, revealing a gorgeous midnight blue 1974 Triumph GT6 coupe. Davie continued to extol the car's virtues: "Power brakes, leather interior, clean transmission – you do know how to drive a stick shift?" he addressed Jess directly for the first time as everyone looked at her expectantly.

"I uh, I can certainly learn," Jess ventured, not at all certain if she could learn or not. Using a manual shift wasn't something I've really thought about before, she thought privately as she circled the car to get a better look.

"I'll teach you," Stacy eagerly volunteered. "Jessica, don't let that stop you from getting the car. It's awesome!"

"How many cylinders does the engine have?" Sandie asked.

"Six. So it's not going to run away with her," Davie assured her mom. "So you wanna talk price while she gets a better look?" he asked Sandie as he handed a set of keys to Jess. Sandie murmured her agreement and they left the garage, leaving Jess and Stacy alone with the car. "Go ahead, get in and crank the engine," Davie called back over his shoulder as he walked with Sandie down the driveway toward the house.

"Before you do that, let me pop the hood," Stacy told her as he found the release latch.

He got the hood open and leaned over, studying the engine for a moment. "Everything looks like it's connected and in good shape," he told Jess. "Ok, start it up." She did so and Stacy nodded his approval. "No blue smoke from the carburetor. You wanna roll it out of the garage and into the light real quick?" When Jess hesitated he gave an embarrassed little laugh. "Sorry, you probably don't wanna do that just yet, huh?" He gestured for Jess to get out of the car and took her place behind the wheel. Slowly he rolled the car forward until it was completely out of the garage and put it in park. With the engine still running he walked around the car, frowning with concentration as he checked it out from all sides. Jess glanced to her left and saw her mom and Davie in conversation in front of the house. Whatever they were talking about was drowned out by the noise of the gently purring motor. Stacy came over to stand by Jess. "I really think you should get it if the price is right," he advised her earnestly. "It's a righteous car."

Jess agreed with his assessment, but still felt worried about her ability to drive it. "Do you think I can learn how to shift a manual transmission, though?" she asked, furrowing her brow with anxiety as she looked up at him.

"Sure, you're smart. If you're coordinated enough then you should pick it up real fast," Stacy said confidently. Jess only bit her lower lip and turned her gaze back on the car, tilting her head in thought.

Davie and her mom came back to join them. "So what do you think – you gonna take it or should I put it back in the garage?" Davie asked Jess genially. She automatically looked at her mother, who only said, "He's asking a great price so it's your call, sweetie." Then Jess turned to Stacy. "Hey, you know my opinion already," he told her.

Jess looked at the car again and sighed. "Ok, I'll take it." As the words came out of her mouth she became aware of Stacy bouncing up and down on his heels excitedly.

"You totally made the right decision," he told her with a wide grin as he quickly flung one arm across her shoulders for a quick half-hug.

"Well, I'm glad I asked you to come along now, 'cause you're going to have to drive it back to my house," Jess exclaimed.

After her mother wrote Davie a check and he gave them the title and an extra set of keys, they were ready to depart with Jess' new ride. Still grinning widely, Stacy settled behind the wheel again as Jess slipped into the passenger side. "I am so stoked for you," Stacy declared as he gunned the engine and shifted into first gear, preparing to follow Sandie's car out of the driveway.

"I can't believe I own a car now," Jess murmured as she reached out to turn on the radio and tune it to KLOS. "Jessica" by the Allman Brothers was halfway through.

"Hah! It's a good omen," Stacy exclaimed with joy. "Even if Duane doesn't play on this track…" his voice trailed off reflectively as he turned left on the Pacific Coast Highway. As they cruised back south they both sang along to the haunting melody. Jess was secretly entranced with watching Stacy drive. Something about watching a cute guy shift gears is a real turn-on, she mused privately. When the highway turned back into a normal road, Stacy pulled up next to Sandie at the first red light they reached and got Jess to roll down her window. "Is it ok if I go ahead and give Jess some driving lessons now?" he called across to her mom, who gave them the thumbs-up as the light turned green.

"No time like the present. The sooner you learn how to drive this thing, the better," Stacy advised her. Jess had to admit he was right, but was still nervous that she wouldn't get the hang of it quickly, if at all.

A few blocks farther down Stacy spotted a recently-vacated car dealership and quickly swung into the parking lot and then into Coach Mode. "Perfect spot. Let's get started, ok?" He had Jess switch places with him, then gave her a quick rundown of the various pedals and gears. "It's all about timing," he advised her. "Just learn to synchronize your clutch foot and your shifting hand, and you've got it. It's really pretty easy."

Yeah, says you, Jess thought anxiously. You make everything look easy, even when it's not. She took a deep breath and tried to flood her psyche with a wave of confidence. "Ok, I'm ready to try."

"Ok, just put it into first and roll forward slowly. Go ahead and press the clutch while easing off the brake," Stacy counseled. Despite her best efforts the car immediately stalled and Jess made a frustrated noise, flushing crimson despite herself.

Stacy smiled patiently. "Don't sweat it. Common rookie mistake. Start 'er up and try it again."

Jess' second attempt also failed. As did her third. And her fourth. On the fifth try she got ten whole feet before letting off the clutch too soon and causing the engine to fall silent again. In sheer frustration she screeched "_FUUUUUCK!" _and banged her head against the padded leather steering wheel. Hard. Then she cast a desperate look toward Coach Peralta, who was clearly struggling to keep a straight face at the sight of her exasperated expression and the pink curved welt springing up on her forehead. "If…you…laugh…" she warned him through clenched teeth, "…I will learn how to drive this thing just so I can run you over with it, I swear to god I will!"

All Stacy could do for a moment was lace his fingers together and bring his interlocked hands to his mouth, trying to hide his now-imminent grin. "S-sorry, Jess. You're doing fine-"

Jess cut him off with a lupine snarl. "No. I'm. NOT. Aw god, I'm gonna have to take it back to that guy, I just know it…"

All trace of amusement gone, Stacy went back into Coach mode. "Jess, if you tell yourself you're gonna fail then you probably will. C'mon, let's change tack here. You're gonna get it, don't worry."

Reassured, Jess steeled herself and informed him she was ready for another try.

"Here's what we're gonna do," he advised. "I'll shift until you get the hang of working the clutch and the brake. And if we have to we'll trade places and let you get the hang of just shifting." Their teamwork paid off. After two more false starts Jess finally learned how to coordinate her feet so she could smoothly press the clutch while letting off the brake, and then switch her right foot to the gas pedal and accelerate steadily. Stacy told her when to press the clutch as he prepared to shift gears upward or downward. Then they traded places and she worked the gear shift as he instructed her on listening to the engine for cues about when to shift.

After about 20 minutes of this, Jess was ready to give it a shot without Stacy's help. As she prepared to shift out of park, she briefly closed her eyes and sent out a silent plea to the powers that be that she not screw up again. If I do I'll probably just abandon this thing right here and walk the hell home, she told herself as she placed her hand on the gearstick and pushed it up a notch while concentrating on the pedals. To her immense relief she worked everything correctly and got into first with no mishaps. The car began to roll forward slowly. "Excellent!" Stacy cheered. "Ok, give it a little more gas. Now get ready to go into second. Hit the clutch…and shift!" Jess did so with equal success, squealing with delight as the car gave a little lurch but kept moving forward.

Stacy grinned at her with pride. "See? You're doin' it! Ok, now get ready to – he looked out of the windshield and his eyes went big – "TURN!"

Jess realized that she was so focused on her hands and feet that she wasn't really paying attention to where the car was headed. Right in front of them was the dealership showroom, looming closer every second. Jess took her foot off the gas and wrenched the wheel hard to the left at the same time. The front wheels just clipped the curb, causing the car to jounce and make its occupants heads' bounce like bobble dolls.

"Oops," Jess muttered once they were back on course, another blush spreading across her face. She was glad that she hadn't caused the engine to stall during her corrective maneuver.

"Ok, let's just take it real slow," Stacy breathed, a tad shaken but doing a good job of hiding it.

After another 30 minutes of practice Jess felt she was ready to take it to the streets. "You sure?" Stacy asked. "I mean, you've done great for your first lesson, but you don't have to do anymore if you don't really want to. I'll be glad to drive back to the house and we can take up where we left off tomorrow."

"Let me just try driving for a few blocks," Jess implored him. "I won't try to get all the way home. I just want to know that I can do this." At the determined look on her face, Stacy relented and let her exit the parking lot onto the moderately busy street. He offered to shift for her again, but she declined. "Thanks, but I think I got it."

She did well for a few blocks, never having to get out of second gear. But at the intersection of Ocean and Santa Monica, almost at the northern border of Dogtown, she got a little thrown by the timing of the light and the car stalled. "Arrrgh, dammit!" she cried as she struggled to start the car and get going again, trying to ignore the impatient honks of the vehicles behind them. Jess was so glad that it was Stacy and not some other Z-boy in the car with her as the other guys would have undoubtedly started firing off the bird left and right.

Once she got the car started and in motion again, Stacy directed her to pull into the first parking lot they saw so they could change places. As they passed each other crossing in front of the hood, Stacy stopped and gave Jess a congratulatory hug. "See? I told ya you could do it," he murmured in her ear, then gave the side of her neck a naughty lick, causing her to laugh helplessly.

"It's all thanks to you, Coach," Jess replied with a grin, then leaned forward and licked him in return. "So, you wanna go to the beach or something?" she asked coquettishly.

Stacy made a pleasure sound in his throat but gently pushed Jess away. "We'd better go back to your place first before your mom sends out the sheriff to find us," he reminded her as he resumed his trek to the driver's seat.

"Oh yeah," Jess mumbled, slightly abashed that she'd forgotten completely about her mom in all the excitement. After all that had gone on that day she was eager for a nice, laid-back kissing session, but it would have to wait.

When they got back to the house and gave Sandie a run-down of the lesson (omitting the near-collision with the building), Stacy excused himself to go home, saying that his mom had probably kept his dinner warm in the oven for him. Jess was bummed, but had to admit it was a good reason to go. She walked with him out the front door and down the front steps. At the dejected look on her face Stacy leaned over and gave her a little kiss. "I'm sorry, Jessica. But hey, don't forget our date tomorrow," he reminded her.

Jess brightened up noticeably. "Oh no, I haven't forgotten. Are you still going to pick me up or should I meet you there? I got wheels now," she jibed.

"That you do," Stacy murmured wistfully as he took a last admiring look at the Triumph. "But I don't mind coming to get you. Eight-thirty, right?"

"Yep. See you tomorrow, then." They gave each other one last relatively chaste kiss in case Sandie was watching, then Stacy ambled across the lawn and got into his Volvo. Jess waved him off and went back into the house, already lost in dreams of anticipation about Friday night.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: This chapter contains mature situations, read with discretion!**

**Chapter 28**

Shortly after 8pm that Friday Jess and her mother got back to the house after going out for Jess' birthday dinner. At first Sandie had suggested they go to the Venice Noodle Company, but after hearing so much about the shabby treatment the management was giving Stacy, Jess opted to go elsewhere. They chose Italian instead, a small restaurant a little bit inland that was family owned and reminded the East Coast transplants of the more upscale eateries back in South Jersey.

Before they went out Sandie had brought out a platter of homemade frosted cupcakes, each with a little icing letter "J'. The center one had "18" and a lit birthday candle on it. "Thought these would be a nice alternative to a whole cake," her mom quipped as she put the tray down on the coffee table. Jess didn't immediately blow the candle out, just gave her mom an expectant look."

"Oh, are you going to make me sing the song?" her mother asked with pretend exasperation.

"Yep!" Jess nodded mischievously. Sandie gamely obliged, trilling out the classic birthday ditty in a voice fit for parlor opera, ending the last line with a trill of falsetto.

Jess applauded and blew the candle out, making a very private wish in her head as she did so. She plucked the candle out and licked the frosting off the bottom, then peeled the wrapper back from the cupcake and took a dainty bite, not wanting to get frosting all over herself. Her mom finished her own cupcake and got up from the couch.

"Would you like to open your presents now?" she inquired, already walking into the kitchen to retrieve the wrapped boxes that were hidden in the cupboard behind the pots.

"I knew you'd never look in _there_," Sandie ribbed as she put the presents in a little pile on the table next to the cupcakes.

"Ha, ha, very funny," Jess shot back as she eagerly reached for the largest item. "I really wasn't expecting anything besides the car, though," she told her mom honestly as she pulled off the ribbon.

"Well, you can't exactly unwrap a car," Sandie stated.

Jess ended up with a bottle of Love's Baby Soft, a good set of drawing pencils, and the newest Eagles album.

"I overheard you the other day telling Stacy you wanted it, so I figured it was a safe bet," Sandie informed her.

Thrilled, Jess gave her a long hug. "Thanks Mom, that was so sweet of you. I'm gonna wear the lotion tonight," she enthused as she took the presents into her room, disposing of the paper and ribbons in the nearest wastebasket.

Later at the Italian place Sandie brought up the subject of Jess and Stacy's date that night.

"Where is he taking you again?" she asked her daughter casually.

Jess was forthcoming. She might be a legal adult now but her mom still had a right to know and to be concerned. "To the Santa Monica Civic to see a couple of surfing movies. He goes there with his friends a lot," she explained between bites of her chicken cacciatore.

"Hmm," Sandie replied, a slightly contemplative look on her face. "What _are _his friends like, anyway? I really don't know a whole lot about him just yet."

Oh boy, Jess thought a little peevishly. Here comes the third degree. Guess I should have known this was coming, but does it have to be tonight of all nights? Aloud she said, "Most of his friends are on surf and skateboarding teams and they're all really good at it," she said with understandable pride. Sandie, however, seemed a bit less than impressed.

"And does he or any of them have plans for life beyond winning contests?"

"I…really don't know. You'll have to ask him sometime," Jess replied. Her mother shot her a dark look and Jess quickly clarified herself: "I didn't mean for that to sound smart, it's just that I honestly can't speak for Stacy in that respect. But he's in college and I'm sure he's getting ready for some kind of career," she finished lamely. I should have just made up something that sounded good, Jess annoyedly thought. She needs to get off my case, anyway. Stacy's friends might be a little rough around the edges but he's a good person and that's what really matters.

Sandie knew her daughter well enough to read her expression. "Sweetie, I'm not trying to give you a hard time. It just looks like you two are starting to get a little serious and I want to get a better idea of what he's like. I'm sure you'd feel the same way if our places were reversed."

"Yeah, guess so," Jess replied a tad sullenly, breaking off a piece of bread. As she buttered it she tried to give her mom a short but satisfactory rundown of her new love interest: "Stacy's parents are still together and they live in a decent neighborhood a little farther inland. He gets along with them great and really loves his mom. He paid for his car all on his own by working in a sandwich shop and then the restaurant. He makes pretty good grades and gets along with people really well. And yes, he does love surfing and skating but if that doesn't pan out then I have no doubt that he'll find something to fall back on and be successful at it."

Upon hearing this speech Sandie merely nodded and said, "Fair enough. I suppose it's too much to hope he's Jewish?" she joked, trying to restore the earlier mood of levity.

Jess gave a short hoot of laughter. "I think he's either Catholic or Presbyterian, but I don't think any of his family really goes to church. He just doesn't talk about religion."

"Well, neither do we so it's not something I'm overly concerned about," Sandie replied logically. "But it would sort of be nice if he had Hebrew roots."

"I know, Mom. He may not be Jewish but he's definitely not against Jews, either. I don't think he has any thoughts about it either way, to be honest."

Sandie just shrugged and took another forkful of pasta. Jess heaved the tiniest of relieved sighs. It seemed the grilling was done for now. She knew all too well that her mom would prefer her to date a nice young man from a well-to-do Hebrew family, but right now the thought of seeing anyone other than Stacy had absolutely no appeal at all. Her thoughts turned again to the date they had planned for later that night. If he wants to have sex I don't think I'll say no, even if it is in the car, she decided privately, then pushed the lustful thoughts out of her mind, worried that they might somehow show on her face. Wouldn't mom put the brakes on the night if she knew what I had planned!

Now it was 8:30 and Stacy was expected to arrive at any minute. Jess had spent the last fifteen minutes re-doing her hair and makeup, although she kept the same outfit on that she wore to the restaurant – a brown wraparound skirt and matching stretchy ballet top with flat beaded sandals and a open crocheted poncho to ward off the cool mid-April night. Her hair was completely loose and unadorned tonight and her makeup, chosen from a darker palette, was quite subtle. It was a slightly Bohemian look for her but she thought it looked sophisticated at the same time, a good way to display her new adult status.

Like usual Stacy was only a couple of minutes late and looking good in the obligatory horizontal striped shirt and pale blue jeans. Those must be pretty new, the back pockets are still there, Jess thought as she followed him out to the car. There was no question of her driving the Triumph tonight, especially since the insurance was in temporary limbo while it got switched over from the original owner's to Jess' name.

Once in the Volvo, Stacy leaned over and gave Jess a soft kiss on the cheek. "Happy Birthday. You look so pretty tonight," he told her while he started the car.

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself," Jess answered with a shy smile.

The drive to the Civic auditorium didn't take too long. Stacy dropped Jess off out front of the large off-white building and drove down the block to find a parking spot. The place was swarming with people, some of whom Jess recognized and many whom she didn't. Red Dog and his equally red-headed date walked past and the Zephyr skater threw her a little wave but didn't speak. Then she heard a female voice calling her name: Deb was approaching from her left, her little sister Allie in tow. Jess glanced at the throng behind them but to her relief didn't spot any of the 'DT Bitches' anywhere. Then Deb was at her side.

"Hey girl, lookin' fine tonight! Isn't it your birthday this week?"

Jess nodded. "Tonight, actually."

"Well, Happy Birthday!" Deb gave her a friendly slug on the arm. "Sorry I didn't know you'd be here or I would have brought you a card or somethin'," she added a bit regretfully.

Jess smiled at her older friend warmly. "It's ok. I certainly wouldn't have expected it."

"Tell ya what, come into the salon tomorrow and I'll give you a free shampoo and trim," Deb offered, taking a strand of Jess' hair in her hand and inspecting it in the bright front entrance lights. "Looks like you're about due for a touchup anyway."

"Aww, thanks Deb. I will," Jess assured her.

Allie suddenly spoke up. "Are you here alone? On your birthday?" If Jess didn't know better, she'd swear that Deb's younger sister was genuinely trying to be friendly. Hey, maybe she is. Give her a chance, Jess thought to herself before replying.

"No, I'm with someone, he's just parking the car." Jess scanned the area in search of her date and spotted him weaving his way through the crowd to where she was standing. "Wait, here he comes now."

Deb and Allie turned their heads in the direction Jess was looking. Then Allie gave a sharp but subtle intake of breath. "Stacy Peralta? That's who you're with?" she asked with a partly baffled, party disbelieving look.

"Yep," Jess replied, trying not to sound too smug at the sight of Allie's face.

Deb clucked her tongue impatiently. "Sillyhead, I _told _you they were going out already," she addressed her younger sister.

"Yeah, well, seeing is believing," Allie quipped without emotion, then melted into the crowd without another word just as Stacy got to Jess' side.

He gave her another kiss on the cheek in a rare display of public affection, then said hi to Deb. "We're going in," he told the older girl as he put his hand on the small of Jess' back to steer her gently toward the front doors.

"I'll see you guys in there," Deb told them. "I'm waiting on Kathy and TA. And of course they're late as hell – like always," she added, rolling her eyes.

Once they got past the ticket window and snack bar Jess found herself in the wide lobby, which was even busier than the sidewalk outside. She heard several people call out Stacy's name, but he didn't stop to talk to anyone, just threw out quick waves and smiles. As they approached the set of doors that led to the main auditorium, Stacy paused and turned to Jess. "Do you want to sit upstairs or downstairs?"

"I dunno. Never been here before. Where ever you want to sit is fine with me," she told him with a little shrug.

Stacy thought for a moment, drumming his fingertips on his chin as though he was contemplating the theory of Relativity. "Well, if we sit downstairs we risk getting stuff thrown on us from the rowdy people in the upper level. But if we sit in the upper level it'll be noisy because that's where all the rowdy people sit. Hmm."

Jess thought that the whole crowd looked fairly rowdy, even the older people, but kept silent.

Stacy seemed to come to a decision. "I know, we'll sit downstairs but toward the back, underneath the upper level where nothing can hit us. C'mon." He urged Jess forward toward the closest set of doors.

"Is it really that bad?" Jess asked as they walked into the auditorium itself.

"Usually, yeah," Stacy informed her as he picked out a row toward the back with quite a few empty seats. "But then, that's why most people come here on a Friday night," he added with a smile as he led her down the row.

"To throw things or get things thrown at them," Jess confirmed in a bemused tone. "Wow, this sure is gonna be romantic," she teased Stacy as they sat down and put their drinks carefully on the sticky floor.

Stacy looked in her direction and grinned wickedly. "Actually, that's the other benefit of sitting in this area. You can get kinda romantic." And to emphasize his point he leaned over and kissed Jess on the mouth for the first time that night, then leaned back in his seat and tossed a piece of popcorn into his mouth, a smug look on his handsome face.

"Well, you'll get no complaints from me, then," Jess replied, taking a small handful from her own popcorn box. Around them the seats were starting to fill up quickly as the main feature was a close to starting.

A couple of minutes later the lights dimmed and the crowd whooped with anticipation while those who weren't sitting yet scrambled to find a good seat. Then Jess felt a piece of popcorn pelt the back of her head and irritatedly reached up to bat it away. Whoever threw it must have showered them with a handful because Stacy was acting like he got hit too. "I thought you said all the rowdy people sat upstai-"

Her comment was cut off by the sound of a teasing male voice behind them. "Peralta Pin-Dick Bug Fuckerrrr, whatcha doin', holmes?"

Stacy and Jess both turned around to see a grinning TA sitting two rows back, a pretty girl on either side of him and Bunker Spreckles, looking resplendent in a fine white suit like usual, sitting next to the girl on Tony's left. Kathy was sitting few seats down from them, currently engaged in conversation with Andy, the clean-cut surfer who had given Jess a ride home from the Zephyr shop party that one time. Stacy turned all the way around in his seat to address his Zephyr team mate. "Hey 'fro boy, how's it going?"

"It's goin'. Haven't seen much of you lately. Gettin' lost in your new chica?" TA asked with a teasing grin. Jess wasn't sure if he recognized her from their past meetings or not, since it was pretty dark in the theater at that point.

Stacy grinned with a mixture of shyness and pride, causing Jess' heart to lurch dangerously. "You met Jess before? It's her 18th birthday tonight," he announced, causing TA, Bunker, the girls and everyone else within earshot to dutifully chant, "Happy birthday, Jess!" in perfect unison. Jess slid so far down in her seat that only the very top of her head was visible from the rows behind her. "Thanks a lot, Stacy," she hissed with a crimson face, but her supposedly sensitive date merely chuckled and nudged his elbow against her upper arm. "Hey, turning 18 is nothin' to be embarrassed about," he assured her. "You're street legal now, be proud."

Before she could reply the opening credits started flashing on the screen against a background of huge, rolling waves. The noise level rose dramatically and Jess saw the first of the missiles start to rain down from the balcony above. Everyone cheered for their favorite surfers as each was introduced by name on the screen. One in particular, a Pacific Island-looking guy named Larry Bertleman who was sporting a 'fro that put TA's to shame, got a roar of acclaim from the whole audience. Even the normally staid Stacy whooped for him and threw his fists into the air, making Jess give an amused shake of her head.

As the movie played on they soon finished their drinks and popcorn, then Stacy's left hand began a slow creep across Jess' right thigh. She leaned closer to him and covered his hand briefly with her own, then reached a little farther over and placed it above his left knee. In response Stacy leaned closer to press his shoulder against hers. To Jess' relief no more popcorn or insults came flying at them from TA's row as the curly haired Dogtowner was as engrossed in the movie as everyone else.

About an hour into the movie, Jess realized she needed to pee. Shouldn't have had the two glasses of coke at the restaurant and then the big cup here, she thought ruefully as she gently extracted herself from Stacy's grasp and stood up. "Be right back," she whispered to Stacy as she prepared to tiptoe out. He pulled her down and gave her another quick kiss. "Hurry back, there's going to be some killer North Shore footage coming up soon," he instructed her. Jess shook her head in amusement again as she darted out of the row and headed up the aisle toward the doors. Just before she exited the auditorium she saw Deb sitting in the very back row next to the doors, Allie crouched in the aisle next to her, talking intently to her older sister about something inaudible to Jess. She threw Deb a little wave and as she walked out the doors, but she didn't think Deb noticed.

The women's room was immediately to the left of the doors. Jess went in, chose an empty stall, and did what she had to do, sighing in relief as she pulled her skirt down and flushed. As she prepared to leave the stall she heard other female voices coming from the vicinity of the bathroom door. "Is she in here?" "Yeah, I'm pretty sure she went in this one."

Sounds like that might be Deb looking for me, Jess thought. She opened the door and stepped out of the stall, but it wasn't her closest female friend who was waiting for her in front of the sinks. It was Angel, flanked by Karen and Allie. And they all looked extremely pissed.

Jess froze on the spot, knowing she was trapped. Before she could speak or make a move, Angel took a menacing step forward, a feral look on her pretty Latina face. "What. Did. I. Tell. You.," she hissed, punctuating her words like each one was a physical slap. Jess refrained from speaking, her back straight and her head held high. If I don't show fear, maybe she'll back down, she thought feverishly. Angel took another step closer. "I fuckin' told you to stay the fuck away from Stacy, didn't I? And what do you do?" she snarled, balling her hands into fists. A teenage girl exited one of the other stalls and immediately fled, correctly reading the situation and wanting to have no part in whatever might happen next.

"Look, I don't want any trouble," Jess ventured. Big mistake.

"The FUCK you don't!" Angel shrieked, and launched into Jess, shoving her backwards hard and making her head bang against the stall door, which luckily swung back a little and prevented any serious damage. Still, it was enough to make Jess see stars and get a tad disoriented. Before she knew it, Angel hauled her back to her feet, grabbed her upper arms in an iron grip, and shoved her up against the nearest wall. "Time for a schooling, bitch," she barked into Jess' face, then she hauled back and gave the Philly girl an open-palm slap that resounded against the tiled walls. Jess squeaked in shock and pain, scarcely able to believe this was happening. Angel slapped her again and Jess began to struggle and kick in earnest then, trying to pry herself out of her adversary's grip. Her sandaled foot scored a blow to Angel's shin, but the Mexican girl didn't let go of Jess' arms. Behind her, Karen and Allie stood impassive, waiting for their cue to jump in and join the fray if it looked like Angel needed a backup. Jess tried throwing herself to the side and torquing her torso in order to wrench herself out of Angel's grasp. It worked, but now Angel had both hands free to slap and scratch at Jess' shoulders and face. One of her nails raked a bloody trench across Jess' collarbone, enraging her enough to make her lash out properly at last. She plowed herself into Angel's midsection, almost knocking the startled girl off her feet, then began beating at the Mexican girl's head and torso with her fists as hard as possible. For a moment her flurry of punches seemed to make Angel abate, but then Jess felt a pair of arms encircle her midsection and pull her off the other girl. Karen had decided it was time to step in and lend a helping hand – or fist. The older girl smacked Jess' right ear hard enough to make it ring. "That's enough outta you, puta," Karen growled into Jess' other ear. Allie was still by the sinks, looking a little bewildered and sick, but apparently not willing to turn her coat and run for help. Two girls started to walk into the bathroom but upon taking in the scene, turned on their heels and fled without saying a word.

"Let's get this over with before anyone else interrupts us. Hold her," Angel told Karen as she reached into her calf-high boot and drew out a folded up switchblade. Pinned in Karen's tight grasp, Jess was glad she had just used the bathroom because otherwise she probably would have pissed herself in terror as Angel flicked the shining blade open and advanced on her, a determined look on her face. Oh my god, she's going to kill me, Jess thought despairingly. When Angel got close enough Jess did the only thing she could think of in that desperate moment. Using Karen's solid body as leverage, Jess pushed back against her and launched both feet into the air, catching Angel on the upper thigh and abdomen. This time it was enough to make Angel lose her balance and start to fall. Jess' move had also caused Karen's head to smack hard against the wall behind her, making her loosen her grip. Jess managed to pull free from Karen and took a step toward the door when she felt a sharp blow to her shin. Angel had lashed out blindly with the knife as she went down, striking Jess as she tried to get past. Heedless of the blood, pain and two furious girls hot on her heels, Jess plowed onward toward the door, knowing that an escape from the bathroom would also be an escape from death. Allie tried to block her path, but Jess shoved her aside violently, not caring at that point what kind of injury she caused Deb's younger sister.

Just inside the door, a mere 20 inches from freedom, Jess felt hands grabbing her skirt and pulling her back. Thrown off balance, she slammed to the floor on her side, screaming in fury, fear and frustration. Above her, Angel leaned over, the blade in her clenched fist gleaming wickedly. "I gotcha now," the Latina said with grim satisfaction as she drew a bead on Jess' exposed neck and prepared to strike down.

Suddenly the bathroom door flew open, almost hitting the two girls and voices of both sexes cut through the air, making Angel look up angrily and stay her hand, not willing to commit murder before an audience.

"Toldja there was a fight going on!"

"Gnarly!"

"Oh my god, somebody break it up!"

"Angel! Holy shit, get off her!" That last voice was Deb's. The older girl pushed her way past the onlookers into the bathroom as Angel slowly stood up, still holding the knife.

"Jess, are you ok? Try to get up," Deb urged as she half-sank to her knees beside her young friend's prone form. Backup came in the form of Kathy, TA and two other guys Jess didn't recognize, who charged into the bathroom and roughly shoved Jess' three adversaries into the back corner. "You guys just stay the fuck there until the cops show up," TA spat at them, heedless of Angel's knife and the black looks that all three were giving him.

"Oh god, no cops. And no ambulances," Jess gasped as she tried to sit up.

"Chica, you're going to need medical attention for that leg," Deb informed her in a tight voice. Jess risked a glance downward and saw that a veritable river of blood was pouring from her shin just below the knee, soaking her sandal and beginning to pool on the tiles below. "Ooh god," was all she could get out before slumping in a dead faint.

"Someone get a towel or something to stop this bleeding!" Deb called out to the onlookers crowded in the doorway. A concerned and vaguely ill looking woman immediately detached herself from the group and hastened to obey.

Then Jess' new boyfriend pushed his way into the bathroom, pulling up short at the sight of her unconscious bleeding form and his best friend keeping three angry girls at bay in the corner.

"What…the…FUCK?" exclaimed Stacy Peralta, who never used the 'F' word.

He dropped to his knees beside Jess, heedless of the blood he was getting on his new jeans. He took in the rising bruises on her face, the oozing scratch on her collarbone and the still-streaming knife wound on her leg and his face hardened in fury. "Who the hell did this?" he demanded of the other three girls, but they only stared at him in sullen silence. Stacy turned back to his girlfriend. "Jessica, sweetheart, open your eyes," he pleaded as he reached out and caressed her face, brushing her hair back from her cheekbones and forehead.

"I think she just fainted when she saw the blood," Deb explained. Just then the girl came back with a couple of white bar towels and quickly wetted them in the nearest sink before joining Deb on the floor next to Jess, whose eyelids were starting to flutter open.

"Just take it easy, girl," Deb softly counseled as she cleaned Jess' leg and put pressure on the wound to stanch the bleeding.

"Deb…" Allie started to address her sister in a pleading tone, but got cut off with a furious glare. "Don't talk to me right now, Allie. You're in a world of shit right now, so keep your little mouth shut."

A moment later two uniformed Santa Monica police officers muscled their way into the bathroom and the crowd of looky-lous began to vanish like cockroaches under a kitchen light. Together Stacy and Deb helped carry Jess out of the bathroom and into the lobby while the officers cuffed the three girls and led them out of the building to their patrol cars which were parked right out front, red and blue lights still flashing.

"I think she's going to need the hospital," Deb told Stacy over Jess' protestations to the contrary. Stacy agreed. Jess begged him to just take her home, but he refused, informing her that she'd probably need stitches. While Deb and Kathy stayed with her and tended her wounds, Stacy ran for his car. As soon as he pulled up Deb and Kathy helped Jess hobble out the front doors, the cleanest towel tied tightly around her leg.

One of the officers came over to the car as Stacy was helping Jess in. "You taking her to the Medical Center?" he asked as he pulled a little notepad out of his front shirt pocket.

"Yeah, that's the closest hospital," Stacy replied as he buckled Jess in.

The officer nodded in agreement. "Ok, can I just get her name and address before you go? We'll have someone come over there and take a statement once she's been treated."

Stacy obliged, then the cop let him go. "I'll be right behind you," Deb cried out to him as he jumped behind the wheel. During the drive over Stacy frequently reached over and stroked Jess' arm reassuringly, asking her repeatedly to tell him what "those foul whores" did to her and where she hurt, but Jess could only sit in silence and shake.

He pulled up to the Emergency Room exit at the Medical Center and helped Jess climb out of the car. An orderly who happened to be near the big sliding glass entrance doors noted Jess' wounds and quickly rolled up a wheelchair for her to sit in. Fortunately the night was still fairly young and the waiting room wasn't full, so Jess only had a ten minute wait for treatment. While Stacy remained in the waiting room to call Jess' mom, a task he clearly didn't relish, the orderly wheeled Jess on back. He took her to triage first, where a young doctor did a quick inspection of her leg and got ice packs for her face and upper chest, both of which were puffy and already turning into reddish-purple bruises. The doctor determined that nothing was broken but the stab wound would need three stitches, which he made with a deft hand. "You're lucky that it happened in that spot," he told Jess as he worked. "Your shin bone stopped the blade from going any farther in."

"Ooh, you're gonna make me faint again," Jess replied weakly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. A little squeamish, huh?" the doctor asked kindly as he tied off the thread. "Ok, we're all done with that part. Now we'll take care of that big scratch so it doesn't get infected and then you can go."

As he gently dabbed the salve on Jess' clawed collarbone, the doctor shook his head grimly. "I don't know who would do this to a nice young lady like you, but I sincerely hope you're pressing charges against them," he said in a firm tone.

"I really just want to forget all about it and go home, but I guess you're right," Jess said with a reluctant sigh.

When she was released from the treatment area and back in the waiting room, Stacy, Deb and another uniformed officer were waiting for her. Stacy informed Jess that he'd tried to call her house several times, but there was no answer. Jess figured that her mom had gotten a last-minute invite to a dinner party or maybe a movie with some of her co-workers. It had happened before, she explained as the officer took a seat beside her and took out a notepad and pen. As her date and friend listened Jess gave the officer a full account of the fight as best as she could remember. "It all happened so fast that some of it's already a blur," she admitted. "Do I have to press formal charges or something? How does this work?" she asked the officer.

"Your assailants have already been arrested on various assault charges based on testimony from several girls who saw them attacking you in the bathroom," the officer explained. "One of them will be booked for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, so she's gonna spend at least one night in jail if not the whole weekend."

"Good, 'cause I don't want to think about Angel being out and going after Jess again," Deb interjected.

The officer continued as though she hadn't spoken. "Now if you want to press more charges against the other two then that's up to you. I'll give you the address and number of the magistrate and you can call his office on Monday. For now I'd advise you to just go home and take care of those wounds."

After they were finished with police business, Stacy and Deb helped Jess out to Stacy's car. After Jess eased into the passenger seat, Deb leaned in and gave her a big hug. "I am so sorry this happened, but so glad you're going to be ok," she murmured into Jess' hair. "Call me at the salon tomorrow anytime after 10 and let me know how you're doing, ok?" Jess agreed and Stacy started the car. As Deb shut the passenger door, Stacy leaned forward to catch her eye. "Thanks for being there, Deb. I'll always owe you one," he told the older girl, who merely shook her head and waved goodbye.

The drive back to Jess' house was understandably quiet as she and Stacy were lost in their own thoughts. Jess kept her face turned to the passenger window, staring unseeingly at the passing scenery and trying not to finger the deep, stinging cut on her upper chest. Everything still felt unreal to her, as though she was trapped in a nightmare from which there was no waking. It was unbelievable that Angel would feel so strongly about Stacy that she'd be willing to destroy the object of his affection. For the hundredth time since the attack began, she wondered how close she had been to dying and shuddered involuntarily. Stacy caught the movement of her shoulders out of the corner of his eye and reached over to stroke her arm comfortingly again. "It's gonna be ok," he told her, but she only closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window.

When they got home Jess saw with a sinking heart that her mom's car was parked in the driveway behind the Triumph. She knew her wrath would be mighty and didn't want to see Stacy unfairly bear the brunt of it. "You don't have to go in," she hastily told him, but he resolutely shook his head no.

"I'm walking you in the house," he told her in a tone that brooked no argument.

As they came inside, Jess leaning on Stacy's arm for support, her mom emerged from the kitchen, a startled expression on her face. "What happened to you, sweetie? Oh my god, were you two in a car accident?" Sandie dashed to her daughter's side and concernedly led her to the couch. Stacy remained standing by the front door, his back straight and his face expressionless.

Haltingly, Jess told her mom about the assault in the theatre and the trip to the emergency room. As Jess spoke her mom gave her various wounds a once-over, her lovely face darkening in fury, then she glared up at Stacy. "And where were you when my baby was getting beaten and stabbed?" she asked him in arctic tones.

Jess desperately tried to stave off her mother's rage. "Mom, he had nothing to do wi-"

"Oh, I think he had everything to do with it," Sandie hissed through clenched teeth. You were hanging out with _his_ crowd in _his_ scene. You were _his_ responsibility," she continued, her voice rising in stridency and pitch. "He had an obligation to look out for you and he failed." Stacy never volunteered a word in his defense, just closed his eyes, set his jaw and let Sandie's fury roll over him.

"That's not true, he had no idea what would happen! Mom, be _fair_," Jess' voice rose to a wail in an attempt to drown out Sandie's angry tirade and make her see sense.

Sandie ignored her and stood up. She pointed at Stacy. "You. You're scum. I want you out of my house. Don't _ever_ come here again and don't _ever_ speak to my daughter again. Ever! Go!" she shouted.

Jess wailed even louder and threw out her hand imploringly at Stacy. "No, don't go! She doesn't mean it, please don't go! I don't want him to go, Mom!"

"OUT!" Sandie roared, oblivious to her daughter's cries.

Still silent, Stacy threw Jess one last look of regret, disgrace and sorrow, then turned on his heel and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind him. Through the thick wood he could hear Jess' voice still pleading and his heart almost cracked in two: "_NOOO! DON'T LEAVE ME! COME BACK! STACY, PLEASE COME BACK! STACYYYY…_

Upon hearing the despondent sound in her voice he almost did go back but knew that Sandie would probably call the cops on him if he tried to walk in the front door. With shaking hands he let himself into his car and started the engine, sparing one last glance at the house before driving slowly away.

Back in house Jess' sobs and wails had subsided as she wrenched herself out of her mother's arms and stood unsteadily. "Why did you treat Stacy like that?" she demanded hotly.

"Jess, I did what was best for you," Sandie started to explain, but her daughter just screeched in rage and limped off to her bedroom, not wanting to talk to her mom for one second more. She slammed the door hard and locked it, then sank down on her bed and buried her face in her shaking hands. She was too furious to even cry. At the sound of a gentle tap on her door, she viciously shrieked "LEAVE ME ALONE!" and jumped up to turn on her stereo. Reaching into the wooden crate where she kept her albums, she plucked the first one she touched and put it on the turntable. It turned out to be Pink Floyd's 'Meddle'. As the eerie, driving rhythms of "One of These Days" started up, Jess returned to the bed and threw herself on her side, heedless of her injuries or whether the music was audible to her mom or not. Tomorrow first thing I'm calling Dad and asking if I can live with him, she thought angrily. I can't stay in this place another week. There's nothing for me here but pain and sadness.

As she schemed and rocked herself comfortingly, Jess suddenly felt overwhelmed with exhaustion. She closed her eyes for a moment and ended up drifting off to sleep as the music played on.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

_STACY_

I left Jess' house feeling like a horse had kicked me in the gut with both hind feet. My hands were shaking so badly that I had a hard time getting my key in the ignition and starting the car. I hated to leave Jess like that, but there was no way her mom was gonna let me back in the house, not in her current state of rage, no way. I can't believe she how she talked to me though. It took every ounce of my willpower not to talk back to her, and to keep walking when Jess screamed my name like that. Oh, Jessica. How can you still want me when I let you down so badly?

I drove straight for home, just wanting to lock myself in my room and listen to music and not talk to anyone for a long time. God, I could only imagine the rumors that must have already been running through our scene about what happened tonight. What the hell possessed that crazy chick Angel to do such a hideous thing? Yeah, I always knew she liked me but she really wasn't my type, so I always kinda avoided her. This is gonna sound bad, but girls like her have chased me since elementary school, so I've been used to that kind of attention for years now. For the most part they're cool and seem to understand that nothing's going to happen, but this one obviously didn't get the hint. Well, I'm gonna make sure that Jess presses every charge imaginable and gets that vile creature into court. She _will_ do hard time if there's any justice in this world. Jumping a girl just because I like her…what is this world coming to?

When I got to the top of the hill where I live, I saw Nathan Pratt and two other neighborhood kids skating in the street. I pulled up in front of my house and parked. Nathan was standing impatiently by the driver's side door when I got out.

"Hey man, I heard your girl was in a big fight at the Civic tonight. What the hell went on? Is she ok?"

"It really wasn't a 'fight'. She was jumped, Nathan. By three girls, one of whom had a knife and stabbed Jess in the leg," I explained. The other two kids skated over and demanded to know about the incident, too, so I repeated it again.

Nathan grimaced and sucked in his breath. "Ooh, that's harsh. Three on one? Classy," he added sarcastically. "So where is she now, did she have to go to the hospital?"

I told him about the trip to the emergency room, the interview by the cop and what went down after I dropped Jessica off at home. Even the part when her mom called me "scum" and threw me out of the house.

Nathan grimaced again. "Damn, what a bitch," he muttered from underneath his bushy mustache. One of the kids, Marky, suggested that I "shoulda hauled back and decked the ol' bat," belated advice that I chose to ignore.

I sat on the curb in front of the house and hugged my knees, feeling too dejected for words at the moment. Nathan parked his board in the gutter and sat down on it as the two kids kept goofing off on theirs, but staying within earshot in the hope of picking up some more juicy details. I didn't really care at this point.

"Man, I don't think I could have stood there and let her mom unleash on me like that," Nathan said with a disgusted shake of his head.

"Well, she kinda had a point – I was supposed to be looking out for Jess and she gets beaten up right under my nose," I confessed, but it didn't make me feel any better. Worse, if anything.

"Ahh, come on man, you had no idea that something like that was gonna go down," Nathan protested. "Don't be so hard on yourself."

But I couldn't stop thinking of the alternatives. "If only I had gone with her…"

"What, and waited for her outside the bathroom like she's four years old? Or would you have stood right by the stall? I don't think she would have appreciated that, dude."

"I know," I countered lamely, but Nathan wasn't done yet.

"Anyway, if Angel didn't get to her tonight then it would have been some other time. You can't watch Jess twenty-four hours a day, even if you did know about the threat. Which you didn't. So knock it off with the self-pity already, man."

I had to admit he had a point. Jess had told me the first time we went to Vista Point that she'd been warned to stay away from me, but I never in a million years thought that Angel would take it that far, or I would have been a lot more vigilant.

"So what are ya gonna do now," Nathan asked, tugging on his moustache like he always does whenever he's thinking hard or feeling concerned. Since he's a pretty laid-back guy who just lives to surf and skate, that's not very often.

What I wanted to do was somehow go back in time to two hours ago and stop the attack from happening, but what was done was done. Now Jess was injured, her mom hated me and three girls were in jail. And somehow it still felt like it was all my fault. I made a despondent sound and put my head down on my knees so my hair fell forward and blocked the world from view.

When I didn't answer his question, Nathan made a suggestion of his own: "Dude, you should go back there right now while it's still early." He picked up my wrist to look at my watch. "It's not even eleven yet. She's probably still awake, crying in bed and wanting some comforting, ya dig?"

"You know something? She didn't cry even once tonight that I saw. Not even when her mom threw me out. She was screaming, but not crying." I don't really know why I said that, just that Nathan's suggestion made me think of it all of a sudden.

Marky skated by us again. "Hey, is she hot? I'll go comfort her if you don't want to," the little smartass said, then rolled away before Nathan could grab him.

Of course I wanted to go back, but the thought of running into her mom again tonight – or ever – made my skin crawl. The way she looked at me when she was throwing me out made me feel about two inches tall. "I don't know if it's worth the risk of going there tonight," I told Nathan. "If her mom catches me anywhere near that house then there'll be hell to pay for me and Jess. And she's got it bad enough as it is."

"Hey, you just gotta roll up quietly and sneeeeak it, man," Nathan counseled. Oh yeah, easy for you to say, Nate. You don't have to get past the Dragon Lady.

I sighed again. "Poor Jess. She does have it bad. I mean, jumped and stabbed on her 18th birthday, that's gotta-" I cut myself off and brought my head up from my knees as a sudden realization hit me. "Oh shit, her present! I didn't give her her present yet!"

"Well, that settles it. You gotta go back and give it to her. Trust me, she'll be happy to see you." Nathan peered at me like he was trying to see into the back of my brain through my eyes. "You _do_ want to see her and try to make things right, don't ya?"

I nodded yes. And I did want to see her. I just wasn't sure if she wanted to see me and told him so. Nathan just rolled his eyes. "If she has half a brain then she'll never blame you for what happened tonight. If she does blame you then she's as crazy as her mother. Now will you quit moping and get your ass down there already?"

"All right, all right, I'm going," I half-shouted as I jumped up from the curb and pulled my keys from my pocket.

"Yeah!" all three of the guys shouted, cheering me on as I jumped back into my car and started the engine. Just before I put it into drive, Nathan tapped on the window. I rolled it down. "Hey, you need some protection? I got some extras that I didn't get a chance to use with my girl tonight," he offered with a boorish grin.

"Aw, for god's sake Nathan," I said, rolling the window back up fast before he could actually chuck any rubbers in the car. What a doofus. Of course I have protection. If you were going out with a nice looking girl who was about to give up her virginity to you any day now, you'd carry it too. I hit the gas and pulled away from the curb, just missing Marky with my front left bumper, more's the pity.

As I made the five minute drive back to Jess' house, I began thinking about our date and wondering how it would have gone if it hadn't been so rudely interrupted. Or more specifically, how far _we_ would have gone. The night of her 18th birthday would have been the perfect time for us to score a home run, given that both of us were now officially at the age of consent. I haven't minded waiting for her to give me the green light, mainly because she's not a major league tease when we do make out. Anyway, it's a moot point for tonight, I thought as I turned onto her street and slowed down to cruise past her house and look for signs of activity. It was dark, even the outside light was off. I continued down the block, turned left on the next street and found a parking place in front of a vacant lot about a block and a half from Jess' house.

By the time I walked back to her place my heart was pounding like crazy. Hell, maybe _I_ was crazy, but I had to see Jess. Even if she threw my present back in my face – I quickly patted my jacket pocket to make sure the little box was still there – I wouldn't regret doing this. At this point I just wanted to see her and make everything ok, if at all possible.

I ran across their front lawn and flattened myself against the side of the house where I thought her bedroom window might be. Ahh, but which window is it? I stopped at the gate in the low chain-link fence that ran along the side of the house and tried to think. Jessica had only taken me into her room a couple of times and I really wasn't thinking about where it was located, just what we'd do when we got there. So sue me.

I jumped over the gate instead of opening it in case it was squeaky, then hunched over and crept down the side of the house until I got to what I hoped was her bedroom window. I also hoped that her neighbors went to bed early and brought their dogs in with them. It must have looked pretty suspicious, a longhaired teenager creeping in the shadows outside a dark house. I looked up at the window and saw a very dim light peeping through the narrow slats of the blinds. Then I stood up and carefully put my ear to the glass. For a second I couldn't really hear anything, but then I caught the very faint sounds of a stereo playing something gentle. After listening closely for another minute I realized it was "Echoes" by Pink Floyd. Ok, that _had_ to be Jess' room. It was do or die time. I closed my eyes for a couple of heartbeats and sent out a prayer to the powers that be, who or whatever they are, then softly rapped on the window with my knuckles.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

About thirty minutes after she fell into a fitful light sleep, Jess woke up in need of the toilet again. While she was in the bathroom she also brushed her teeth and started to wash her face out of habit, but the bruises and little scratches on her cheekbones smarted at the touch of soap, so she settled for a splashing with warm water instead. She limped back to her bedroom and gingerly exchanged the skirt and blouse she'd fallen asleep in for an oversized Blue Oyster Cult tee shirt. Already she was starting to feel stiff and sore all over, even in spots that Angel's fists and feet didn't find.

The Pink Floyd record was still spinning on the turntable, the needle bumping over and over the grooves at the end of Side one, so she flipped it over and started Side two, hoping the epic 23+ minute "Echoes" would lull her back to sleep. As the intro with its distinctive quavery keyboards and spidery guitar began, she eased herself back into bed, noting that her bedroom clock read 11:08. I wonder what Stacy's doing now. Is he sitting in his room too, or did he find a party where he could down some beers and forget all about me? I wonder if he'll ever speak to me again, she thought dejectedly as a wicked icicle of anxiety pierced her heart. Well, there's no sense in dwelling on things now, she decided as she reached out to turn off her bedroom lamp, grimacing from the pain the movement caused her ribcage.

Just as her fingertips found the switch, she heard a gentle tapping on her window and froze with her hand on the lamp, suddenly heedless of her aches. For half a minute she didn't move, just waited and listened. The tapping came again, slightly more insistently. Jess slipped out of bed, crept up to her window and cautiously eased two slats of her blinds apart to peer outside. To her instant relief she noted the visitor was Stacy, and judging by the look on his face he was equally glad to see that it was her.

She opened the blinds and slid the window open and quietly as possible and wordlessly beckoned for Stacy to climb in. He did so with a modicum of grace and silence even though his feet had a bit of trouble finding purchase as he scaled the outside wall to reach the window sill. Finally he made it in. After turning around to shut the window and draw the blinds closed again, he turned around and opened his arms invitingly, his face a study of concern and apology. Jess gave a little moan like a wounded doe and stepped all too willingly into his embrace. For a moment they stood there in silence holding each other as Stacy caressed Jess' unbound hair where it fell over her shoulders and pressed his cheek lightly on the top of her head.

Then he pulled back a little and spoke for the first time since he arrived. "Jessica, I'm so sorry-"

She stopped him with a quick shake of her head and a palm against his chest. "There's no need to apologize. None of this was your fault. I feel like _I _should apologize for how my mom treated you-"

This time it was Stacy's turn to block her words, in his case with an index finger pressed softly against her lips. "Shh, her actions were none of your doing. I know you didn't want me to go," he assured her.

"Oh, the whole neighborhood probably knew, I yelled so loud," she quipped, smiling for the first time since the evening had gone so badly downhill.

Stacy grinned in response, happy that a little levity was making a return appearance. "Well, I'm back," he announced. "Miss me?"

Jess chuckled and playfully rapped her knuckles against his chest. "Stacy, you nut." Then she dropped her head and moved closer for another reassuring embrace, sighing as his arms gently encircled her slender, bruised torso again. "I was afraid you'd never talk to me again," she murmured into the fabric of his shirt.

Stacy dropped his arms and threw his head back, staring at the ceiling and rolling his eyes for a second in disbelief. "Did you really think that?" When she reluctantly nodded yes he gave an frustrated snort. "C'mon Jessica, have a little more faith in me, puh-_leeze_!"

She covered her face with her hands and spoke through them, her voice muffled. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you never did talk to me again, though," she confessed.

"Jess, Jess, Jess," Stacy sighed with mock exasperation as he stepped close and hugged her once more. "If anyone was entitled to not talk to me again, it was you."

"Aww, gimme a break," she sighed as she returned the hug. "I already said it wasn't your fault. And also – think about it – if this incident caused us to never speak to each other again, then Angel would have won in the end, you know?"

"Good point," Stacy replied as he slowly dropped his arms back to his sides and tilted his head to the side as he examined Jess' face in the dim lamplight.

"Bad, isn't it?" she asked with an anxious grimace, trying to fight the urge to bury her head under her pillow.

He smiled gently as he brought his hand up and traced her swollen cheekbone with the lightest of touches. "Not that bad. And it'll all heal in no time. You'll always be pretty to me, Jessica."

She flushed a bit under his praise and dropped her head again. "How come you call me Jessica and not Jess, anyway?" she asked, wanting to steer the subject away from her battered face and the whole evening in general.

Stacy flushed a bit as well, finally called to account for his private little quirk. "Hey, you know I'm a big Allman Brothers fan. Need I say more?" he quipped as he cast a slightly embarrassed glance at his feet. For a moment Jess was reminded of the first time they'd ever spoken, how shy he seemed then and how he had opened up when they talked about music.

"Ah, of course. Jeez, I could have figured that out," she quipped and Stacy met her eyes again.

"You don't mind being called Jessica, do you?" he queried a bit concernedly.

"Of course not, especially when it's you calling me that," she admitted in a sultry tone with a matching smile that made Stacy's heart start to rev.

He put his arms around her again. "Well, I'll make sure to keep doing it, then," he told her as he pressed his face against her hair again. As he pulled her closer he noted that she was trembling slightly and leaned back a bit, taking in her relative lack of clothing. "Hey, are you cold? Why don't you go get under the covers?" he suggested as he released her and stepped to the bed to pull down the covers for her invitingly.

Jess immediately obliged. "Please don't leave me yet," she implored as she pushed her feet well down beneath the green checked bedding and pulled it up to her ribcage. Stacy set her pillow upright against the headrest for her to lean back on, then sat on the end of the bed near Jess' feet.

"I'm not going anywhere unless you want me to," he assured her. "I just wanted to make you comfortable before I gave you this-" as he spoke he delved a hand into his jacket pocket and brought out a small giftwrapped box as Jess' eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"Oh Stacy, you didn't have to…" she breathed as she took the present and began carefully tearing the paper off one corner.

"Of course I did," he countered with another shy blush. "I really hope you like it…"

His voice trailed off as he watched her gleefully upwrap the gift and carefully open the box to reveal a sterling silver snake chain necklace with an ornate Victorian labradorite pendant that reflected the lamplight with bright flashes of iridescent cobalt. Pure joy suffused her face as she looked up from the box in her lap. "It's beautiful!" she told him in the loudest whisper she could dare without her mom hearing.

Stacy's shoulders sagged as he exhaled in relief. "You really like it? It came from a gift shop in Venice. I thought it would sort of go with your eyes," he told her as she lifted the necklace from the box and held it close to the lamp, turning it this way and that to make the little blue reflections blaze intermittently in the light.

"I don't like it…I love it," she told him with a sly smile, then reached out to grasp his hand and pull him into another embrace. Right now she couldn't get enough physical reassurances, even if they did cause the bruises and scratches to throb anew. What little pain Stacy's hugs caused was more than wiped out by the pleasure of feeling his arms around her and the knowledge that he was still there for her, still cared for her, still believed in what they had going.

Jess let Stacy go and put the box on her bedside table, then leaned back against the pillow, closing her eyes for a moment.

"Are you tired? Should I let you get some rest now?" Stacy asked solitcitously.

With her eyes still Jess replied, "Please stay a little longer – if you want to." The last part was delivered as she raised her lashes and let her grey gaze meet Stacy's blue one. At his nod of assest she boldly patted the mattress in a silent invitation for him to sit next to her on the bed. He kicked off his sneakers and took her up on the invitation, resting his back directly against the headboard while she pushed her pillow flat and rested her head on it, rolling on her side facing him. He smiled down at her and reached out to stroke her hair lightly for a minute.

Jess reached out and idly played with the seam of Stacy's jeans where they ran down the side of his knee. "Are you tired?"

"No, kinda keyed up still, to be honest," he admitted.

Jess laughed a bit cynically. "It was a hell of a night, huh?"

Stacy just shook his head so his blonde mane swung freely at his shoulders. "I'm just glad you're going to be ok." He gently traced the outside of Jess' ear with his fingertips and she closed her eyes with pleasure.

"I…I guess so. Physically, at least. Mentally I'm going to be kinda…shaken up for a while," Jess whispered sadly, her gaze resting distractedly on Stacy's back where it rested against the headboard.

"Oh, baby, it's all going to be ok," Stacy breathed as he eased himself downward until he was lying on his side facing Jess. Catching her chin in his hand, he leaned in and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, glad that none of Angel's blows had landed there. They traded closed-mouth kisses as he resumed stroking her hair and the unbruised parts of her face which were mostly her chin and forehead. After a few minutes of this Jess heaved a little sigh as her body relaxed and their kisses began to get deeper and longer. Stacy's fingertips automatically crept down to Jess' shoulder and onward to her ribcage, causing her to push herself instinctively against his hand, willing him to go on. He had her tee shirt pushed up high enough to expose the lower part of her breasts before he caught himself. "Heh, sorta forgot myself there, sorry," he murmured as he started to pull her shirt down, but she stopped his hand from moving by pinning it down with her own.

"Stacy, it's ok. I want you to," she told him, her voice husky with desire.

Stacy bit his lower lip, thinking things over for a moment. "Jessica, I'm not sure you're in the best shape for anything phys-" he started to caution, but she silenced him with another deep, hungry kiss that left him lightheaded and slightly flushed (and instantly hard as diamonds, but he'd better be careful on that front, he warned himself as he tried to discreetly scootch his lower body a few inches away from hers).

Jess ended the kiss and gave him a scorching look of lust. "I had already made up my mind earlier today that I was going to sleep with you tonight. And nothing is going to screw that up, not even crazy bitches who try to jump me," she informed him, her voice low and demanding.

At this Stacy's eyes grew wide and his lips parted in surprise, but he didn't speak at first, just scanned her face searchingly as though he was trying to ascertain the veracity of her words. Then he pressed his lips together and swallowed hard. "Are you…you're sure?" he asked when he seemed recovered. "I mean, in any other circumstances I'd be all for it, don't get me wrong. But you're _hurt_, Jess!"

"Oh pff, it's just a few scratches," she replied dismissively if not entirely accurately. "What would really hurt would be you turning me down," she added with a little pout while looking over her shoulder at the bedside clock, which now read 11:25. "It's still my birthday," she reminded him. "And the only present I was hoping to get from you was…you know…" she finished the sentence by raking him from head to toe with her gaze, lingering pointedly on the area just below his black leather belt. Her forwardness turned him on even more. He not-so-discreetly brought his hips and thighs forward so they pressed against hers.

"And who'm I to deny a lady her heart's desire on her birthday?" he replied with pretend chivalry, then covered her mouth with his again.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Stacy woke around 6:30am in the habit of the Southern California Surfer, blinking sleepily in the grey light peeping in through the blinds. For a moment he was confused about his location, but as he returned to wakefulness he became aware of Jess' sleeping form beside him and everything from the night before came crashing back into his consciousness. Jess was on her back with her head turned slightly away from him. He gingerly sat up and leaned over a bit to inspect her face properly, frowning at the sight of her now fully livid bruises and the myriad cuts that decorated her cheekbones and nose. She also had a bit of a shiner, he noted. Although he'd never raise a hand to a female except maybe as a last-resort tactic in self-defense, Stacy suddenly wished he'd had the chance last night to pop that bitch Angel one right in the kisser. Such a coward, he thought angrily about Jess' primary assailant. Why don'tcha try fighting someone who knows how to fight back? Jess wasn't a scrappy street fighter type in the slightest, which was one of the reasons he'd fallen for her. Dogtown girls might be tough out of necessity, but he preferred the more gentle girls who weren't likely to start shit. I'm sure glad I didn't bring Camille out to POP and the shop very much, he reflected as he watched the steady rise and fall of Jess' chest underneath the bedclothes. The same thing was just as likely to have happened to her.

A sudden itch in his calf made him twitch and bend over to scratch it, inadvertently pulling the sheets down off of Jess and making her eyelids flutter open. For a few seconds she looked as confused as he had been a few minutes before. Then her gaze focused on Stacy's face and she smiled Mona-Lisa-like. "Good morning," she whispered in a slightly cracked voice.

"Morning," Stacy replied, sitting back up and leaning over to kiss her forehead.

"Time's it?" she breathed sleepily. When he told her she ran one hand heavily over his chest, pushing him back down toward the bed. "Go back to sleep…" she softly commanded, already taking her own advice. Stacy shrugged and laid back down.

When he woke again about ninety minutes later, he found he was alone in bed. The sun was shining in earnest through the slats of the Venetian blinds, casting narrow dust-mote laden beams onto the nearest wall and the carpeted floor. His vision was caught by the slowly opening bedroom door and his pulse shot up – what if it was Sandie?

It turned out to be a shyly smiling Jess, still in her BOC shirt and now a pair of grey gym shorts with the initials of what he guessed was her old high school back in Jersey.

"Hello again," she said as he sat up and stretched his arms and back against the headboard, then reached out to her. Jess slipped onto the bed and crawled into his embrace. "Mom's at the studio putting in overtime, so we're safe," she informed him.

Stacy exhaled in relief. "How ya feeling now?" he asked as he peered down at her and brushed the hair off her face.

"I feel ok, actually," she told him as she pulled her hair back down, preferring to hide the bruises.

Stacy raised one wheat-colored eyebrow. "Really? You're not even sore…anywhere?"

Jess shook her head resolutely. "Nope," she told him with fake bravado. In truth several key places were throbbing a bit, but waking up beside her wonderful new boyfriend made the pain so negligible that it wasn't worth complaining about.

"Liar." Stacy lifted his arms and stretched again.

Jess giggled a bit and shifted herself down so the side of her head rested just below his collarbone. She could hear his steady heartbeat and decided to see if she could make it speed up by lightly running her nails across his bare abdomen. Her little experiment was a success, but the sound was drowned out a moment later by his growling stomach.

"How about some breakfast?" she inquired and got an enthusiastic nod.

"We don't have much but I'm sure I can whip up something halfway ok," she informed him as she sat up and got out of bed. Stacy followed suit, stopping to scoop up his jeans and tee shirt from the floor and get dressed before left the room and joined Jess in the kitchen.

"You don't have to help," she told him as he came up behind her and slinked his arms around her waist. At the moment she was cracking eggs into a stainless steel bowl. "How many and how do you like them?"

"Um, three scrambled?" he requested and kissed the back of her head.

Jess' hand flew up to the place he had just kissed. "Ouch," she protested, rubbing the spot absentmindedly.

Crestfallen, Stacy stepped backward a bit. "Sorry. Um, was it from something we did last night, or…"

"The bitch knocked my head against the wall," Jess stated in a flat tone as she whisked the eggs.

"Ooh, sorry," Stacy said again as the anger welled up again. He pushed it back down just as quickly. "You sure I can't do anything?"

"You can make toast and pour the juice, I guess," Jess directed.

Once the somewhat piecemeal breakfast of eggs, cereal, toast and juice was put together, they took it into the living room and watched _Land of the Lost_ as they ate.

"Sleestacks kinda skeeve me out," Jess confessed between mouthfuls of Cheerios.

Stacy laughed. "You're kidding me, right? Those have got to be the lamest costumes ever. A three year old wouldn't be scared by them!"

"It's the noise they make," Jess declared, resolutely sticking to her position.

Stacy chuckled again. "Well, how else do they know when one is coming?" he shot back.

Unfazed, Jess started on her toast. "Well, I don't care what you say, they freak me out."

"They sound sort of like cicadas, don't you think?"

Jess thought for a few seconds. "Yeah, sorta. Man, that's one thing I miss about visiting Georgia. You always hear them in the summertime."

"We have them here too, but I'm sure they're more common in the South. So when's the last time you've been back there?"

"Last October." Jess finished off her toast. Guess I don't need to call Dad and ask him if I can live out there anymore, she ruminated. Things are ok with Stacy. Now I just need to bring Mom around.

"Are you planning to go back anytime soon?" Stacy queried, then drained his orange juice.

"Maybe in the summertime. You want some more of that?" She reached for Stacy's empty glass and started to stand up, but Stacy pulled her back down onto the couch.

"I'm ok, thanks. Hey, does your Dad happen to live anywhere near Macon?"

"Umm, I don't think so," Jess replied after giving it a little thought. "Isn't that south of Atlanta? Dad's up in Athens, teaching at the university."

Stacy nodded in comprehension. "Ah, too bad. I'd love to visit Duane Allman's grave someday," he said longingly.

When breakfast was done they carried their plates and glasses back into the kitchen. Stacy gallantly offered to wash up, but Jess waved him away and did it herself while he leaned against the counter and looked on. When she was done he went to her side and took her shoulders gently in his hands, leaning down for a kiss.

"Hate to eat and run, but I should probably take off soon," he informed her reluctantly.

Jess nodded sadly, knowing he probably had a lot to do on a warm Saturday, and none of it involved lingering in bed like a lazybones. "I understand," she told him, standing on tiptoes to return his kiss, which led to a second and then a third, each one deeper than the one before it. By the fourth one Jess felt the evidence of Stacy's arousal pressing against her when he brought his hands to her hips and pulled her close.

He came up for air and gently pushed her away. "Oh man, better not start something we can't finish," he said, breathing hard.

Jess gave him a wily grin. "I don't mind if you don't mind," she suggested gamely, but he shook his head.

"I know you have to be sore already, Jessica. I don't want to make it wors-"

His protestation was cut short when she stretched up and kissed him again. "If you're really really gentle, I bet it'll be just fine," she assured him, her voice seductive and full of promise. "Please?" She licked and kissed his neck just below his jawline, making him throw his head back so his hair spilled well past his shoulders. "Pllleeeaaase?" she asked again, playing with the golden strands and kissing him some more while she pressed her pelvis against the front of his jeans.

"Oooh, god, all _right_!" Stacy half-shouted. "And if you keep that up I'm going to take you right here on the floor," he threatened, making Jess laugh mischievously.

"If I weren't so sore from everything last night, I'd take you up on that offer. But I think it'll be a little more comfortable on a nice soft mattress. C'mon." And with that she took Stacy's hand and led him back to her room. They climbed onto the bed and made out with a vengeance, stripping each other off without losing contact with their lips.

"I'll go real slow," Stacy promised as he gently pressed Jess down on her back to the mattress. It took a lot of patience and restraint, but Stacy managed to keep it gentle.

When they were finished he lowered himself down on his elbows and kissed her lips, then rolled over on his back, smiling at the ceiling in satisfaction. "That didn't hurt, did it?" he asked her in a delicate tone.

"No, it was fine," she replied truthfully. Nothing related to her bedroom activites was causing her any pain, but her bruises and scratches were throbbing hard now that her blood was pumping properly for the first time that day.

"Gotta use the john again," Stacy mumbled as he gave Jess one last lingering caress, then left the bed and headed to the bathroom. On his way back to Jess' room it occurred to him that he'd completely forgotten to use a condom either time he'd had sex with her. It was an awkward topic but he felt compelled to bring it up, since "become a father" wasn't exactly on his current Things to do in Life list. His shoulders sagged in relief when she informed him that she was taking the Pill every day like clockwork.

"I should have told you earlier, but I didn't really think you'd care," she admitted with an embarrassed shrug.

Stacy gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "It's ok, I know now."

Jess grinned at him. "Hey, I'm going to take a quick shower. Care to join me before you go?"

Stacy weighed his options for a moment. "Yeah, sure. I kinda don't want to go home all sweaty anyway." And reeking of sex, he mentally added. His parents certainly wouldn't assume he'd been at a Boy Scout meeting all night, but at the same time he didn't want to flaunt his sexual activities in front of them – or anyone else, for that matter. When it came to locker room banter he always listened more than he talked. It was a great way to pick up a lot of tips and get practice in detecting lies.

Once in the shower they washed with a minimum of hanky-panky, although Stacy couldn't resist running a hand down her slick, soapy back to caress her bottom just once. When they got out he thought about trying to dry Jess off by licking her all over, but decided that particular endeavor could wait for another time and settled for using a towel instead. He was careful with her bruises and she luxuriated under his touch, deciding that a little pampering could definitely go a long way with her.

Once they were done and dressed, Jess walked Stacy to the front door with a minimum of fuss, all too aware that she'd taken up enough of his time already. Before he walked out he gave her one last lingering kiss. "I'll call you later…oh wait," he started to say, but stopped himself when he realized that his name was still mud as far as Sandie went.

"Can I call you tonight instead?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, that'll be fine. Like around seven and maybe we can figure out a way to spend some time together without your mom catching on," he suggested, then he told her goodbye and quickly walked out the door and away from the house.

After he was gone from sight Jess leaned her back against the door and slowly slid downward until she was sitting on the floor with her legs splayed out in front of her. That…was the craziest night I've ever had, she reflected, closing her eyes. But it's going to be hard to sneak around with him behind Mom's back. I get the feeling that Stacy probably wouldn't put up with that for long, she thought glumly. I'll have to bring her around somehow.

She slowly stood up, trying to ignore her now-aching inner thighs and various fight-derived wounds, and went back to her room. I hope Mom won't be able to tell that I did anything, she worried as she studied her reflection in her full-length mirror. Except for the wounds incurred from the beating, she decided that she looked about the same as always. She focused on her chest region for a moment. Hmm, is the Pill making my boobs bigger? After a prolonged visual inspection that included feeling herself up, she was still undecided. Well, maybe, she mused as she pulled her shirt down. Not that I'd complain if it was. I can use a little more in that department.

With a little sigh Jess laid crosswise on her bed on her back and wondered how to spend her first day as both an 18-year-old and a nonvirgin and began preparing a mental speech for her mother's return. God, I hope I can convince her to let Stacy back in the house, she mused. I don't want to lose him now…


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Jess' mom got home from work around five, looking a little dragged out but carrying a large pizza box from a nearby takeout place. "You hungry at all?" she asked as she passed the couch where Jess was sitting and carried the box into the kitchen.

Jess followed Sandie into the room and took two plates out of the cupboard.

"Aww Mom, this was nice of you." She was a bit hungry, not having eaten anything since breakfast.

"Well, think of it as a peace offering," Sandie replied with a tentative smile as she helped herself to a slice. Jess smiled back as she took her own piece and bit into it carefully, mindful of the hot cheese and the sensitive roof of her mouth. I'm glad Mom wants to smooth things over, but I have no idea how to start, Jess thought privately as she chewed.

"So how are you feeling?" Sandie inquired between mouthfuls, circumspectly examining the visible bruises on Jess' face and upper body and trying not to let her anger and disgust show anew.

When she finished chewing, Jess nodded. "I'm fine. A little sore here and there-" and not all of it was from the attack, not that she was about to mention that little fact to her mom "-but I'm ok."

"And how about mentally?" Sandie couldn't help inquiring, or the concern that leaked into her voice as she spoke.

Jess put her half-eaten slice down and looked off into space for a moment. "I'm…I'm ok there too, I guess. Although I'm starting to get really hacked off about it, to be honest."

Sandie nodded. "I don't blame you for being angry. And that's actually good. Maybe it'll make you prosecute those broads to the fullest." She looked Jess in the eye while speaking, making sure that her daughter got the idea.

Jess compressed her mouth into a thin line, not really wanting to discuss last night's events any further, but there was one lingering thing she needed to bring up while her mom was in a more relaxed mood.

"About Stacy-" she and Sandie had spoken at the exact same time, causing them both to break off and smile at each other. Before either one could proceed, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Call the bear by his name?" Sandie quipped, arching one eyebrow at her daughter, who quickly shook her head.

"I'm sure it's not him; he's not the type to show up where he's not wanted," Jess replied glibly, knowing full well what the truth was. She stood up and went to the door. "It might be Deb, she said she'd try to stop by after work and check on me."

It was indeed her older friend, bearing a shopping bag with the salon's logo on it. "Thought some bath stuff might help you feel better," Deb declared as she walked inside and thrust the bag toward Jess, who accepted with heartfelt thanks.

"Deb, this is my mom Sandie," Jess announced as Deb gave Sandie a little wave.

"We just sat down to some pizza, care to join us?" Sandie asked the new arrival.

Deb ventured closer to the table and took a tentative sniff of the air. "That from Richey's? Sure, just one piece can't hurt, right?" She joined them at the table and helped herself to a slice after Jess set a clean plate in front of her.

After a couple of minutes' silence when everyone was eating, Sandie addressed Deb. "So you were the one who stopped the fight and got Jess to the hospital, is that right?"

Deb gave a modest half-shrug. "I sorta stopped it with the help of a couple of guy friends, and I really just followed Jess to the hospital. Stacy did the actual driving, bless 'im."

At that, Sandie and Jess exchanged a meaningful look, almost causing Deb to cover her mouth with her hand. "Oh yeah, Jess told me that he's not welcome here anymore," she muttered, slightly embarrassed that she'd brought up what was obviously a touchy subject.

Jess looked down at her plate and swallowed. Sandie levelled a look at Deb that was direct but not unfriendly. "It might have been harsh of me, but I did what I felt I had to do in that situation," she told Jess' friend without equivocating. "If you have any children yourself then you'd understand," Sandie added as she picked up another slice.

Deb responded with equal directness. "I don't have kids, but I do understand what it's like to see someone you love get hurt and not be able to do anything about it. All I'm saying is that none of this was Stacy's fault. If he'd had any idea that there was a threat to Jess he wouldn't have brought her within a mile of the Civic." As Deb spoke Sandie slowly put down her pizza and met Deb's gaze full-on. Unfazed, Deb continued: "Look, I've known him since he was eleven and believe me, Jess couldn't have picked a nicer guy to date." Her little speech finished, Deb broke her eye contact with Sandie and took another bite.

"She's telling the truth, Mom," Jess ventured, bolstered by Deb's vote of confidence. "Stacy was devastated when he saw what had happened. He was so comforting to me afterward and I was so glad he was there. You too, Deb," Jess added with a grateful nod in her friend's direction. Then she addressed Sandie again in pleading tones. "Mom, he really is a good guy and he didn't deserve to get thrown out last night. Please let me at least talk to him again. Please? Just one call to let him know how I'm doing?"

Sandie gave a resigned sigh. "I guess you can call him, but I'm not quite decided on whether you can keep seeing him or not," she said slowly.

"Thanks, Mom," Jess breathed, relieved about her victory, partial though it was. And if we just keep a really low profile for a little while, she'll probably let him back in the house again.

"Ahh, that's great," Deb chimed in. "Honestly, I really can't think of a better person for Jess than Stacy. Even if you guys can't go out anymore, I know he'll be a good friend," she reassured Jess with a conspiratorial wink since Sandie was looking down at her plate at that moment. Jess repressed the urge to giggle. As promised she'd called Deb at work shortly after Stacy had left the house and given her an abbreviated version of everything that had happened after Stacy climbed in through her bedroom window. Deb said that Mom would cave eventually. So far, so good, Jess thought happily.

After a moment of silence Deb cleared her throat a bit awkwardly. "I ah…don't know if Jess told you that my sister was one of the girls involved in the incident?" she ventured.

Sandie nodded. "Yes, she told me, but you said that she didn't actually take part in the attack, didn't you Jess?"

"Nnooo," Jess started to reply, but Deb took over.

"She may not have laid a hand on Jess, but she was still an accessory. She could have stopped it, gone for help, done something besides stand there. And even though she and I aren't that close and I'm not my sister's keeper, I still want to apologize on her behalf."

Sandie gave Deb an understanding smile. "Thank you for that. And for helping Jess afterward."

"I sort of feel like it was my fault in a way too, though," Deb confessed as she finished a second slice. "Like, way more than Stacy." Before Sandie could protest Deb quickly continued. "I know that Stacy was her date and therefore her protector for the night, but he had no clue about what was going to go down. I did," she admitted glumly. "And I acted on my hunch too late."

"Oh Deb, don't blame yourself," Jess tried to reassure her, but Deb just shook her head.

"Just before you got up to go to the restroom, Allie came over to me and started asking me a bunch of questions about what you were doing with Stacy, if it was serious and all that jazz. Then right after you walked out of the theatre, Angel and Karen came in the door, Allie jumped up to meet them and then they all went right back out. I didn't really think anything of it because they hang together all the time, but when a couple of girls came in a few minutes later and told someone sitting across the aisle that there was a fight going on in the ladies' room, I put two and two together and ran there stat. Tony and some other guy were on their way back in to the auditorium and they heard the commotion too, so they got there hot on my heels to hold the girls at bay while we got Jess out of there. And…that's it," Deb concluded with a little frown and a shrug.

Sandie and Jess exchanged another look. "What's the situation with your sister now?" Jess' mom inquired.

"Well, Allie was charged as an accessory at the same time the other two were arrested. But she didn't go to jail since she's underaged; the cops released her to our parents and as far as I know she hasn't left the house since." Deb turned her head to address Jess directly. "And I just want you to know that even though she's family, I'm on your side one hundred percent and will give testimony in your favor at the trial, if you want me to."

At this display of friendly loyalty both Jess and her mom expressed their thanks. Deb demurred with a sad shake of her head. "I hate that it's come to this, that I have to testify against my own sister, but I really hope she learns a serious lesson after all this about the company she keeps."

"Amen," Sandie said, and that ended the subject for the time being.

Shortly after the pizza had been reduced to a few crusts in the box, Deb announced she had to go to her parents' house and talk to her errant sister next. She hugged Jess again on her way out the door. "Hang in there, girl. Gimme a call during the week and maybe we can meet up for lunch, ok? Now go call Stacy!" That last bit was added _sotto_ voice with a wink to accompany it.

As soon as Deb was gone Jess excused herself to her room to do exactly as her friend suggested. With slightly shaking hands she dialed Stacy's number. I hope he hasn't changed his mind about seeing me for some reason, she thought anxiously as the rings began. On the third one he picked up, sounding slightly breathless. "Man, your timing is awesome. I literally just walked in the door," he told her after they exchanged the usual greetings.

"Oh? Where have you been?" she asked lightly, not trying to sound like she was prying.

"Oh, just skating banks with a few guys," he told her, still panting a bit, which was making Jess rather turned on. "So how ya feeling now?"

"Oh, fine. Hey, I have some good news – Mom said it's ok to call you again."

"Awesome!"

"Yeah, but she's still undecided on whether we can date again."

"Oh."

"But I think she'll come around. She's feeling kinda bad about last night, y'know…"

"It's cool, I understand why she was like that."

"Yeah." Pause. Then in a half-whispered voice: "I really wish I could see you."

_Meaning: I really wish you'd sneak back into my room_ _again._

"I really want to see you too, Jessica. Hopefully soon."

_Meaning: Sure, how 'bout tonight?_

"Yeah, definitely. Well I'm sure things will work out ok."

_Meaning: I'll leave the window unlocked for you._

"Right on. Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed for more good news."

_Meaning: I really hope you'll be wearing something sexy_.

"Everything's gonna be fine, Stacy. Ok, I won't keep you, just wanted to call and let you know what was going on."

"Ok, that's great. Um, talk to you later then?"

"You know it. Later, Stacy." Jess hung up the phone with a triumphant smile even though it hurt her face a bit to do so. Hopefully he won't keep me waiting up too late or I might fall asleep first, she mused as she went back into the living room to watch TV with her mom for the rest of the evening. By mutual and unspoken assent they didn't bring up anything regarding the night before, just chatting about school and work as though nothing had happened at all 24 hours before.

At 10:30 her mom announced that she was retiring to her bedroom to read for a little while before going to sleep. Jess stated that she would do the same thing. After detouring for a quick bath and a change of bandages for her leg, she ensconced herself in her room with the door firmly locked and changed into a silky camisole top and the same bikini bottoms from the night before, having washed them by hand like she did with all her delicate undergarments. Then she put on 'It'll Shine When It Shines' by Ozark Mountain Daredevils at a low volume and waited for the tap on her window.

Stacy didn't let her down. During the second verse of "Jackie Blue" she heard his fingertips drumming on the pane slightly out of time with the song and jumped out of bed to let him in. As he hoisted himself up the wall and into the window she noted that he was wearing the Mr. Zog's Sex Wax shirt she'd seen him in the first time she'd ever laid eyes on him that day she went to the Venice Noodle Co. to seek work. I didn't find a job there, but I did stumble over something way better, Jess mused as Stacy swung both legs over the sill and landed the soles of his Vans on her carpet with a theatrical flourish of his hands and a smug smile. She golf-clapped, then stepped forward into his embrace and tilted her head up to his for a kiss. When it ended Stacy gently took her head in his hands and examined her in the light, but she didn't look any worse than she had that morning.

"Hello again," she whispered. He mouthed a silent "hi" and then brought his lips to hers again. They stood there kissing until "Jackie Blue" ended.

"How y'doin' now, are you ok?" Stacy inquired, causing Jess to snort in exasperation.

"Will you quit asking that? I'm fine, really," she assured him.

He looked slightly crestfallen. "Sorry, just checkin'. I've been thinking about you all day, Jessica, and hoping you'd call tonight."

Her eyes widened a bit. "Did you think maybe I wouldn't or something?"

"Well…yeah, maybe. Like, you could have decided your mom was right or someth-"

Jess stopped his awkward speech by standing on her tiptoes and grabbing the back of his head to pull his mouth downward to meet hers. "Well, I'm just as bad," she told him when the kiss ended. "I was afraid maybe you wouldn't want to talk to me when I did call you."

Stacy refrained from rolling his eyes and settled for a little shake of his blonde mane and a discomfited laugh. "Jessica, why…nah, never mind. Everything's copasetic now and that's all that matters."

Jess nodded, relieved that they were still on the same page. "C'mon," she urged as she sat on her bed and tugged the hem of his shirt downward, compelling him to join her. They wrapped their arms around each other and resumed making out while lying on their sides. After a minute Jess pushed against Stacy's chest so he fell over on his back.

"I'm so glad you came here again," she whispered as she angled herself on top of him and delved her tongue into his mouth while pushing down on his shoulders, her hair making a fragrant curtain around their faces. "So, are you staying tonight too, or…?"

Her question hung in the air unfinished. Stacy reached up and wound a long dark strand of hair around his index finger, rubbing his thumb across it to savor the wavy texture. "I think you know the answer to that one already," he told her as he slipped an arm around her neck and pulled her down for another kiss.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Here's a little more filler before things pick up again.  
To all those who have read and reviewed: Have I told you lately that I love you? ;-)**

**Chapter 33**

It was a Wednesday afternoon and Jess was using the free time between classes and work to drive to Deb's salon for a shampoo and trim. She spotted a free space less than a block away from her destination and parallel parked in it, trying to ignore the impatient honk of a Buick that got stuck behind her as she carefully maneuvered the Triumph into the spot. Good, that's the third time in a row that I haven't stalled out once from start to finish, Jess thought proudly as she got out of the car and locked it. She crossed the busy street and entered the salon, shooting a glowing grin toward Deb, whose chair occupied a prime spot near the front door.

"C'mon back to the sinks," her older friend prompted with a jerk of her brunette head toward the back of the room. She got Jess smocked up and in the shampoo chair. "So how's the leg now?" she asked as she tilted Jess' head back, privately noting with satisfaction that her face now bore no signs of the attack two weeks ago other than a slightly pink but rapidly fading scratch on one cheekbone.

"It's good. Got the stitches out a few days ago. I thought it would hurt when the doctor did it, but it actually kinda tickled." Jess informed her with a little laugh.

Deb poured out some shampoo and began lathering Jess' hair, pressing her fingers down hard to massage her scalp. Jess closed her eyes, enjoying the personal touch.

"So you heard anything more from the police about a trial date?" Deb inquired as she worked.

Jess nodded. "Yeah, first week in June is what they told me. And I don't need a lawyer or anything, I just have to testify. The other girls will need lawyers, though."

"Yeah, Allie and my parents have been talking to one," Deb confessed, then changed the subject. "Been seeing Stacy much lately?"

"Oh yeah," Jess confirmed with a tiny smirk. "We haven't been hanging out in this area much, of course, but we do hang out almost every day, especially now that Mom's ok with him seeing me again."

Deb smiled triumphantly as she rinsed the second application of shampoo from Jess' hair. "See? Told ya she'd come around eventually. Stacy's just too nice of a guy for anyone to stay mad at for long. Ok, which conditioner do you want?"

Once the washing was done and Jess was in her styling chair, Deb went to work with the scissors, talking as she made delicate snips. "So you heard that Tony Alva and Wentzle Ruml left the Zephyr team and turned pro, right? They're riding for Logan Earth Ski now."

"No kidding, when did that happen?"

"I heard about it on Monday when Kathy came by for lunch. She says 'hi' and hopes you're doing well, by the way. Actually, several people have been asking about you."

Surprised, Jess met Deb's eyes in the big mirror on the wall of her station. "Oh, really? Like who?"

"Oh, Skip and Nathan and PC from the shop, and Allen Sarlo's girlfriend Mindy…"

For a moment Jess looked confused, then brightened with realization. "Oh yeah, I know her, she comes into the boutique a lot. She's sweet, not one of the Dogtowners with a bad attitude."

"Yeah, you got that right. Hey, why don't you two hang out more?" Deb asked curiously.

Jess thought for a moment. "I think she mostly hangs out with the big surfing crowd up in Malibu, if I remember what Stacy said correctly. And I think she's a little younger than me? Not sure about that, though. But if I see her again maybe I'll see if she wants to go out to lunch or something."

"There ya go," Deb told her approvingly. "I think you can trust her as a friend. She's never been too crazy about Angel and Karen and that crowd anyway, far's I know."

"Great. I'll talk to her for sure, then."

After Deb was done with her hair and she had paid, Jess hugged her friend goodbye and left the shop with a promise to call during the weekend since she had no firm plans yet. She crossed the street, got in her car, and drove it the few blocks to work, parking in the lot next to the boutique. Her boss Evie was in a good mood like usual, letting Jess pick the music to play on the store's stereo (she chose some ELO, not too light and not too heavy) and giving her the plum assignment of arranging displays to their most artful advantage using the various items and props they kept in the back. As Jess was arranging silk flowers and scattering confetti over the glass top of a revolving rack, Evie queried her about classes.

"Semester's almost over, right?" her boss asked from her customary perch behind the counter.

"Yep, next week is finals. Ugh, can't wait," she added with a sarcastic sneer.

Evie laughed sympathetically. "Fun. How many do you have to take?"

"Four, one for each class. I think I'll do ok with them, though."

"Been studying hard, huh?"

Jess gave a half-smile, scrunching up her nose. "I usually take my notes with me when Stacy takes me someplace that he's skating, if it's going to be an all-day thing," she confessed.

Her boss cracked up. "That fascinating, huh?"

"Well, he is fun to watch but it can get old after a while. And I feel dumb just sitting there with all the other girls just staring at him, so I figured why not make the most out of the down time?"

"Smart. Hey, I heard from my brother that Stacy's doing really well at all the skating contests."

Jess nodded confirmation. "Yep, he took third for freestyle at the World Championships."

Evie's eyebrows shot up. "You mean as in the whole _woooorrlld_? Right on!"

"Yeah, I'm really proud of him, but he seems so…casual about it all for some reason."

"Well, from what I've seen of him, he's a pretty casual guy, yanno?"

Jess nodded again. "True. Ok, that's the last of the racks. Can I split a little early today? Got a paper that's due tomorrow and I'm not quite done with it yet."

Evie consulted the wall clock. "Yeah, why not? Although I really shouldn't reward you for procrastinating, girl!" she told Jess jokingly.

"Hey, it really is close to being done," Jess started to protest, but Evie just laughingly waved her toward the door. "I don't think we'll be swamped before closing time. You go be a good student. See you on Friday."

Jess retrieved and signed her timesheet, then headed out the door, sing-songing a goodbye on the way out. Again, she got in her car and started it, reversing out of her parking spot and navigating the streets of Venice to her house without incident. I'm starting to do things automatically now, she thought as she pulled into the driveway, noting that her mom wasn't home yet. She let herself in and went straight to her room, determined to get her paper finished before dinnertime. When there was half a page left to write, the phone on her bedside table rang, almost making her pen screech across the page.

It was Stacy. "Hey, what'cha doin' right now?" he asked, sounding a bit wound up.

"Oh, just some English homework, but it's almost done. What's up?"

His answer was another question. "Do you like surprises?"

Jess narrowed her eyes and brought the tip of her pen to her lips. "Mmmaybe," she replied cagily.

"C'mon, yes or no? It's something really cool, I promise." His vocal tone was all slyness and promise and instantly Jess was intrigued.

"Ok, so tell me what it is," she urged.

"But then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore. Just come up here to my place as soon as you can, ok?"

Jess sighed like she was being put upon, but her heart was already racing. "Fine, I'll be there in about thirty minutes."

"Can ya make it twenty instead?" Wow, this must be something really good if it's got Stacy this worked up, Jess thought bemusedly.

"Ok, ok, twenty. See ya then." She hung up and put the pen down on her notepad. The paper could wait. Gotta hurry up and change and throw on a little makeup just in case the surprise is a nice dinner out somewhere. He hasn't taken me back to that steakhouse since the first time we went there, she mused as she opened her closet and looked for something suitable.

Twenty-two minutes later she pulled up in front of Stacy's, shut off the engine and put on the parking brake since he lived at the top of a hill. After checking her hair and makeup one more time in the mirror, she emerged from the Triumph and walked up to the front door. Stacy answered, looking fine as always in faded blue jeans and a polo-type shirt with the usual horizontal-stripe pattern, this one a brown on cream scheme. He took in Jess' knee-length brown peasant skirt with brightly colored Mexican embroidery and her ivory off-the shoulder flowing blouse and said with a grin, "Oh great, we sort of match again."

"We have got to quit doing that, people will think we planned it," Jess quipped with a bright smile and a quick kiss on his lips that was chaste, since Stacy's mother had walked up behind them.

"Hello, Jessica. Don't you look pretty?" she quipped with a sweet smile that made the corners of her eyes crinkle.

"Thank you, Mrs. Peralta." It's easy to see where Stacy gets his sweetness and most of his looks from, Jess thought to herself as his mom asked her if she wanted anything to drink.

"Actually, we're on the way out for the evening," Stacy told her politely but urgently, already steering Jess toward the door with a hand on her elbow.

His mom suddenly got a look of comprehension on her still-pretty face. "Oh yes, the- yes, have fun, then!"

The couple bade her goodbye as they left the house. "We'll take my car," Stacy declared. They got in his Volvo and he backed out of the driveway, popping a tape into the stereo before he got to the street. Hmm, that usually means a bit of a drive, Jess mused.

"So, are you going to tell me the surprise now?" she asked impatiently.

Stacy just smiled mysteriously, looking straight out the windshield as he put his shifting hand on her knee for a second. "I'll tell ya when we get there. Just relax and enjoy the drive, ok?"

Jess shook her head with a chuckle, but refrained from asking anything more. She settled for simple small talk about finals and other school-related things. As they chatted Stacy drove through north Santa Monica and then headed east toward Brentwood and Beverly Hills. Guess we're not going to Vista Point or the steak place, Jess thought. Hmm, the plot thickens.

Eventually Stacy turned left and started to take them into the hills around Bel Air. Dusk was starting to fall on another rainless day and the canyons and ridges above them reflected the reds and oranges of the sun as it began its descent toward the Pacific. They wound their way north-northeastward for a few minutes, taking several turnoffs that led them higher into the mountains where the houses were incredibly fine and increasingly sparse. At last, he made a right into a driveway that sloped downward from the road and ended beside a spread out and very new looking house that was all dark wood trim and glass, the better to take advantage of the view of the city below them. This is almost as nice as Vista Point, Jess thought as Stacy brought the car to a halt. She didn't see any other vehicles or signs of life. "It's a little late in the day to skate someone's pool, don't you think?" she muttered with a bit of trepidation. Some surprise, she thought privately. Crap, I should have brought my homework.

Stacy gave her a wink and another sly smile. "Let's go," he told her as he exited the Volvo. With a little shrug she followed suit, joining Stacy as he walked past the hood of the car. He slipped one arm around her waist and she noted he was still grinning. As they kept walking, Stacy guiding their steps, she also noticed two other things: first, he didn't have a skateboard with him and second, he wasn't making for the back of the house like a furtive would-be trespasser. To her increasing surprise and confusion, he led them right to the front door and produced a set of keys from his front jeans pocket, holding them up triumphantly before Jess' face before selecting one and using it to open the door.

"Stacy, what is going…on…oh my god!" those last three words were uttered breathlessly as they walked into the house and Jess got a load of their surroundings. The place was decorated as though it was occupied concurrently by James Bond, Casanova and Frank Lloyd Wright. All the furniture was covered with leather in deep colors, the walls were covered with originals by Hockney and Richard Estes, various houseplants and three-dimensional objects d'art filled numerous ledges and nooks, and an enormous light fur rug covered the floorspace in front of what looked like a working fireplace.

Baffled but excited at the same time, Jess turned to face Stacy, her hands on her hips. "Ok, what is the deal here?"

"You like it?" he replied with a smug grin.

"I love it! Whoever lives here must be loaded…have they adopted you or something?" she demanded half-jokingly.

Stacy cracked up. "Nope, I wish! Ok, I'll 'fess up. The house belongs to a close friend of Bunker Spreckles' – you know, the guy who hangs out with Tony?" When Jess nodded yes, he continued. "Anyway, this guy is out of town for a little while and Tony was looking after the place for him, but today Tony decided to go to Hawaii for a week. And since I'm pretty much the only friend he has that he trusts with a place like this, he gave me the key. Cool, huh?" he finished with a huge grin.

All this was still sinking in for Jess. "So…you mean to tell me that we have this place to ourselves? Nobody else knows about it besides Tony and Bunker?"

"That's exactly what I'm tellin' ya," Stacy replied as he turned to face her and slipped his arms around her waist. He leaned his forehead against hers while bringing one hand up to stroke the back of her newly-trimmed hair. "You know how we were just saying the other day how nice it would be if we could find somewhere to be alone together? Well, here we are." As he spoke he pulled her even closer so her chest, pulsing with her slamming heart was pressed against his own, which was doing the same. "We've got all evening, my mom thinks we're going to dinner and a movie and then whatever," Stacy whispered as he leaned in and kissed her long and deep.

"That's great," Jess told him when the kiss ended. "I don't have to be in until midnight."

"Good." Stacy kissed her again, the tip of his tongue forcing her lips apart so he could gently explore the interior of her mouth. He pressed the front of his jeans against her pelvis, showing her without words how turned on he already was. "C'mon, let's go check out the bedroom," he compelled her in a soft voice as he reached out to take her hand and lead her to the inner sanctum of their private retreat.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Ok, a little more filler, but it's also a setup for the next chapter. Never fear, the other Z-Boys will be back soon.**

**Chapter 34**

"_C'mon, let's go check out the bedroom," he compelled her in a soft voice as he reached out to take her hand and lead her to the inner sanctum of their private retreat…_

After their initial romp in the hay and a delivered meal of Chinese food (when Stacy impressed Jess by expertly using chopsticks to eat his chow mein), they decided to have fool around on the couch. Things got hot and heavy in a hurry, inciting them to move back into the bedroom. As she and Stacy knelt facing each on the bed and started to make out, Jess' gaze fell upon a bookshelf set into the wall opposite the bed. One title in particular seemed to jump out at her, causing her eyes to widen with interest. She pulled out of Stacy's embrace and retrieved the book, holding it up gleefully. "Check it out!"

"_The Joy of Sex_," Stacy read aloud. "Oh yeah, I know about that one. Nathan's parents have a copy under their bed. We used to sneak peeks at it a couple years ago," he confessed as his high cheekbones colored slightly.

"My best friend and I used to look through it in the bookstore when the clerks weren't watching," Jess admitted with a giggle.

Stacy reached out with one hand. "Bring it here and let's see if it provides any material for inspiration." Jess did so promptly and he began riffling through the pages. "I recall some pretty good stuff in here, like uh…oh yeah, the 'Boots' page is pretty hot."

Jess leaned over to get a better look, then threw an amused glance at Stacy. "You like girls in black leather boots, huh?"

He blushed a bit again, nodding a bit shyly. It delighted Jess that he could be such a little devil in bed, but a sweet schoolboy out of it. "Well, maybe I'll have to pick some up," Jess said musingly.

Stacy grinned broadly. "That would be so hot! Yeah, you wearing boots and nothing else." He put the book down on the coverlet and reached out for Jess again. "We've got all week to look at this. Right now I wanna make the most of our time," he told her, then pushed her playfully back on the bed and crawled on top of her, already reaching beneath her skirt.

About an hour later they were exhaustedly entangled in each others' arms, clothing and sheets a rumpled mess about their sweaty limbs.

"It just gets better every time," Stacy murmured contentedly, one hand idly stroking Jess' far shoulder.

She smiled at his words. "Yeah…god, I'm wiped out." To give credence to her statement her eyelids began to droop. "What time is it?"

Stacy fumbled for his watch, which he had actually taken off for a change. "Umm, 10:30. You wanna take a nap for a little while? I might go out and watch some TV."

Jess considered the offer but decided to turn it down. "Nah, there's no point in napping this late in the day. You said we have this place to ourselves for a week?" When Stacy nodded 'yes' she continued. "Well, we might as well call it a night and go back home, don't you think?"

"Yeah, guess so," Stacy replied a bit reluctantly, probably more bummed about not getting to watch the enormous color TV than quitting the bedroom, Jess thought.

"Well, we probably should shower first, don't you think?" she asked him with a sly grin.

He brightened instantly. "Right on, let's do it!"

The shower almost turned into another sex session, but they mutually decided to hold something back for the next time. They left the house a little after 11pm, plenty of time to get Jess back home before curfew.

"Now that you're eighteen you ought to convince your mom to let you stay out later," Stacy suggested as he drove the Volvo down out of the canyon.

Jess exhaled noisily, causing her long bangs to float upward for a second. "I can ask, but I don't know if she'll say yes."

"It won't hurt to try, though, right?" he replied hopefully.

"Guess not." Jess turned her head to look out the window, already thinking about how she'd word her plea and when she could present her case to her mom.

That next afternoon, Jess spied her chance when Sandie got in from work, all smiles as she carried a green glass vase of Spring flowers with her into the house.

"Ooh, who gave you those?" Jess quipped with a raised eyebrow from her spot on the couch as she looked up from her issue of _Seventeen_.

Her mom blushed – blushed! – slightly as she walked past Jess to put the flowers on the dining room table. "A…coworker," she replied, turning her face away to hide her grin from her gleeful daughter.

"A guy coworker? Who likes you? He must like you, those had to cost a fortune!"

Shyly, Sandie murmured, "Well, it's early days yet. He only just made his…feelings known to me a short time ago."

Jess hopped up to inspect the arrangement more closely. "Really? When?"

"Oh, about the time he gave me these, which was right before I left work."

Jess grinned at her mom as she stroked one petal of a tiger lily. "So what did he say? Do I know who this is?"

Sandie quickly shook her head. "He's one of the art directors, a guy named Sam. I really haven't mentioned him before because he's always kept his distance and I never dreamed that he…well, anyway. He asked me if I was free tomorrow night…"

"And you said yes, I hope!" her daughter butted in, too excited for her mom to be overly polite.

Sandie shook her head again, this time at her daughter's impatience, but she also smiled. "I said yes. And why not? He's nice enough and we seem to have plenty to talk about."

"Is he cute?" Jess naturally wanted to know.

Her mom burst out laughing. "Given who you're dating I don't know if Sam's _your_ idea of 'cute', but he's a nice looking man to me, anyway. He's tall," she added with a little sidewise glance at her daughter.

Jess nodded approvingly. "I'm sure he's cool. I'm so happy for you, Mom. It's about time you got back into the dating scene, to be honest." Sandie cocked an eyebrow at her, but forbore a response to that little gem of insight.

"So where are you guys gonna go?" Jess asked as Sandie ceased her admiration of the flowers and went into the kitchen to pour a glass of orange juice.

"I think some place in Westwood," she called out from the kitchen.

"Right on," Jess replied as she went back to the couch and picked up her magazine.

Sandie came back into the living room and sat beside Jess. "Are you and Stacy going out tomorrow too?"

Jess shrugged, trying to make it look casual. "Probably so. He said he wanted to see _Bad News Bears_, and it's playing up in Santa Monica, so maybe we'll have dinner first and then go to that."

"Sounds like a nice time," Sandie told her. Now's as good a time as any to bring up the curfew thing since she's in such a good mood, Jess thought quickly. Oh man, I hope this goes well. She took a deep breath

"Hey mom, since I'm 18 and Stacy and I have been going out for a little while, can I start staying out a little later now?"

A thoughtful look instantly swept over Sandie's attractive face. "Welll, I don't know. How late are we talking about?"

Ok, Jess thought, this is a chance to use the foot in the door technique, just like my Social Psych teacher talked about. Ask for something ridiculous first, then follow it up with the reasonable request you really want. "How about one am on weeknights and two or three am on weekends?" At the disbelieving look on her mom's face, Jess mock-soldiered on with her case. "But Stacy doesn't have a curfew at all! It's not fair!" she pretend wailed.

"Well, he's a boy and boys usually have it more lenient," Sandie shot back. "And the world's not a fair place, you should know that by now, Jess."

Jess sighed. "Ok, how about midnight on weekdays and one am on weekends? You let me do that before over the school break. Please? Pleeeaase?"

Sandie ran one hand through her tumbling dark locks. "Ok, fine. Midnight on weekdays and one am _on the dot_ on weekends. And you abuse it, you know what'll happen."

"Yes, Mom," Jess replied dutifully, then gave her a hug. "Thanks. You know you can trust me, and Stacy too."

"I certainly hope so." Then Sandie's look changed note from stern to concerned and Jess could tell that _the talk_ was imminent. She braced herself mentally. "Jess dear, I hate to pry but as long as you're under my roof then I have a right to be concerned. Are you and Stacy…" she mercifully let the rest of the question hang in the air.

"No!" Jess barked, then hastily added, "I mean, we've kissed, of course, but he's not pressuring me to do anything." That much is true, she told herself mentally. He's never asked me to do anything I didn't want to.

Sandie nodded slowly, trying to gauge the veracity of her daughter's statement. "I'm glad to hear that he's as nice as he seems to be. But if you two do end up doing anything, are you going to be prepared?" Sandie gave Jess a meaningful look as she spoke.

Jess decided to be a little more truthful. "Well, I am on the Pill…just in case," she admitted.

Sandie brought one hand to her mouth and looked at the far wall. At first Jess was afraid that her mom was going to cry or freak out, but after a moments' silence she merely said, "I'm glad to see that you're thinking ahead." She made herself meet her daughter's eyes again. "But Jess, promise me that you won't do anything lightly, or let Stacy – or anyone – pressure you into thinking you _have_ to do something."

"Of course I won't," Jess assured her, hoping the conversation would come to a natural close. I already feel so bad for lying to her, but everything's under control and right now, what she doesn't know definitely won't hurt her, Jess rationalized privately.

"Well. I guess that's that," Sandie said as she got to her feet and went back into the kitchen to rummage through the cupboards. "Hmm, we're looking pretty sparse foodwise. You want to order out tonight?"

Jess closed her magazine and stood up. "Oh, I would but Stacy's taking somewhere to eat tonight," she explained to her mom apologetically.

Sandie raised one eyebrow. "Again? He just took you out last night, didn't he? Has he robbed a bank or something?" she joked, but with a note of trepidation in her voice.

Jess rolled her eyes. "Nooo, Mom. We ate at his house and then went and watched some people skate near the beach. So tonight he's actually taking me out to dinner." Wow, you sure are turning into such a skillful liar, Jess thought with a mixture of shame and pride.

"Fair enough. I'll just fend for myself," Sandie said with a little shrug as she left the kitchen and headed back toward her bedroom.

Jess finished reading her magazine ten minutes later and went to her own room to get ready for her "date" with Stacy. Of course their true plans were to pick up some food and eat it at the house they were looking after. They intended to spend as much time up there together as possible, knowing that a chance to be alone with their own devices was a rare and precious thing, and might not come again anytime soon.

Stacy picked Jess up at six, wreathed in the clean scent of soap and shampoo and clad in yet another horizontal-striped shirt.

"How many of those do you have anyway?" Jess asked with a pointed look at the garment as they got into his car.

He glanced down self-consciously at himself before starting the car up. "What, you don't like stripes?"

"No, they're fine. You just wear them so much," she defended herself with an amused chuckle.

Stacy pulled away from the curb, his handsome face set in a simulated frown. "I have other kinds of shirts, you know," he informed her, trying to sound put-upon.

Jess laughed. "Yeah, at least two Led Zeppelin shirts, if I recall correctly." God, that first meeting in the school hallway seems like a year ago, Jess mused as Stacy turned the car northward. So much has happened since then. I really hope all the crazy stuff is done with now. I could use some normalcy.

They stopped at an Italian restaurant and ordered a large pizza with everything to go. While it was being made, they sat beside each other at a wooden bench by the front door and people watched for a few minutes. When that got boring Stacy turned to Jess. "Just so you know, Allen Sarlo invited us to his girlfriend Mindy's birthday party a week from this Saturday," he told her.

Jess nodded. "Oh yeah, I know her – sort of. She's a regular customer at the boutique."

"And Allen goes to Santa Monica College like us," Stacy confirmed.

"Do you know yet who else is going to be there?" Jess asked, trying to keep the worry out of her voice. I think Mindy and Allen are cool, but I really don't know if I'm ready to be around a bunch of Dogtowners yet, she thought doubtfully.

Stacy read the concern in her voice anyway, and tried to distill her fears. "Actually, they hang out with more of a Malibu crowd these days. But from here I guess it'll be guys like Nathan and Paul Constantineau, maybe Biniak, maybe Kathy Alva…it's being given by a friend of Mindy's named Leela, and she's pretty friendly," he told her.

"Oh? Friendly as in just nice, or friendly as in…?" Jess retorted with a cocked eyebrow.

Stacy threw his hands up defensively. "Heyy, I never touched her! Ok, she's known to be rather 'friendly' to certain guys, but not me, honest. She's really not my type."

"Suuure," Jess teased, but let him off the hook. "Nah, I believe you. But now I have to see this girl."

Stacy grinned. "She's cool, just a little into the partying. But then again, a lot of people in this scene are, so she's in good company."

"Do you think we're expected to bring a present?" Jess wondered aloud.

Stacy thought for a second. "Allen didn't really say, but it probably wouldn't hurt."

"Well, there's time to think about it, anyway." Before they could discuss it further the man at the register informed them that their pizza was ready. Stacy paid with a handful of crumpled ones and Jess carried the box out to the car, putting napkins in her lap to shield herself from the worst of the heat and any seeping oils.

Five minutes later they were in the house, devouring the pizza while sitting on the fur rug on the living room floor.

"Bunker's friend will kill us if we get grease on this thing," Stacy said as he demolished his first slice.

"Oh well, it'll be worth it. This is _divine_," Jess enthused as she ate with abandon, heedless of spills or looking like a pig.

"Yeah, they win awards all the time for their food," he confirmed.

After they ate they began making out with the same abandon they had for their food. Eventually they ended up locked in carnal embrace, still in the same spot on the rug.

When they were done they sprawled on their backs side by side, their heads lolling back against the thick, dark fur. "I wonder how many times Bunker's friend has done it on this rug," Stacy said idly, his voice still thick with the remnants of his recent ecstasy.

Jess snorted with disgusted laughter. "Yuck, I don't wanna think about that at all."

Stacy smiled as his left hand sought out her right one so he could entwine his fingers in hers. "Sorry. That's how the male mind works sometimes, though," he explained.

Jess wriggled closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. "It's cool. Actually I was kinda wondering it myself earlier," she confessed with a giggle.

They ended up having sex again, this time in the master bedroom, using _The Joy of Sex_ as a guide for a couple of adventurous positions that left them mutually satisfied and lying sweating profusely on the bed.

"Man, I just showered before I picked you up," Stacy muttered as he pushed strands of his hair, now soaked and dark, from his forehead. "Now I'm going to have to wash again." He reluctantly pushed himself up on his elbows and rolled off the bed.

Jess quickly followed suit. "Wait for baby!" she cried, causing Stacy to laughingly catch her up in his arms and half-carry her into the enormous master bath.

While in the shower Jess told him the good news about her curfew.

"Awesome," Stacy breathed as he lathered up his hair with the expensive salon shampoo that the homeowner had left behind. He studied the bottle for a moment. "Hmm, this is good stuff. Wish I could afford to buy a bottle of my own. Well, someday." He tilted his chin up and rinsed the suds away, squeezing his eyes shut tight as the warm water sheeted down his face and shoulders

As they dried off afterward they decided that despite Jess' new extended curfew, they should go home early anyway, since they both had to work the next day. "Don't wanna get all burned out before the weekend anyway," Stacy added as he vigorously toweled his hair.

"I think with you that's physically impossible," Jess joked. Stacy shot her one of his smug smiles and popped the end of his damp towel against her unclad bottom, making her squeal and spin around to face him, already winding up her own towel in retaliation.

30 minutes and one good towel fight later, they eased their welt-covered backsides into Stacy's car and headed back down the mountain toward home.

The next day seemed to drag for Jess as she tried to fill the hours until she and Stacy could return to the mountaintop house. She had to open the boutique on Fridays and work a fairly long shift, often running the register since Evie was usually busy with orders and conversation with the many friends who customarily dropped in to visit on that day for some reason. After work she did a little shopping, then drove home and finished up a paper, then studied a bit for her Geometry final, trying to be very good in order to balance out her upcoming naughtiness.

Her mom came home from work, got ready for her date with coworker Sam and rushed back about again in whirlwind fashion. Jess couldn't help grinning as she watched Sandie back her car out of the driveway, an expression of both anxiety and hope on her face as she pulled out into the street and accelerated away. She's about as giddy as I was on my first real date with Stacy, Jess thought as she returned to her cylinder volume exercises.

A little after six, she put the books away and got ready for her own date. What I told Mom about dinner and a movie really wasn't a lie, she thought to herself as she showered. I just conveniently left out the part about going to some stranger's house and balling our brains out. She giggled despite herself, shutting off the water and shaking her head so her sodden hair slung water all over the shower stall walls.

45 minutes later she was close to being ready. She put on a pair of dangly earrings and the labradorite pendant necklace that Stacy had given her, liking the way it matched her dove-gray short-sleeved sweater top and accentuated the low V neckline. It was a little more risqué than her normal look, but she intended to get Stacy worked up right from the very start. And I think a little cleavage will do the trick, she thought mischievously as she dabbed a little Jean Natè on the area in question, then pulled on a short deep gray a-line skirt and a new pair of calf-high black patent leather boots.

Stacy showed up at seven on the dot, punctual as usual. Jess immediately noticed he was wearing his Led Zeppelin III shirt and smirked at him.

"Well, I thought you'd like a change from the stripes," he told her magnanimously as he escorted her to his car.

Jess grinned. "You nut," she said, her usual response to his more off-kilter witty statements.

They ate dinner at an inexpensive Mexican restaurant a few blocks from the movie theatre, then went to the 8pm showing of _Bad News Bears_, which Stacy especially seemed to enjoy. Jess had a sinking feeling that she was going to hear "This is for Allah. And it's goin' way out there, sucka" and "Yo no me voy a poner esto! Esto duele!" for some time to come, judging from the way Stacy cracked up at the lines when they were first uttered and was now repeating them to himself as he drove them up the mountainside to their secret hideaway house. I gotta get his mind off of the movie and on to me, Jess thought to herself.

When they pulled up at the house, he was still laughing over certain scenes as Jess just smiled indulgently. He unlocked the front door and let themselves in, then excused himself to the bathroom. "Probably shouldn't have had that large Coke, huh?" he said with a touch of embarrassment as he closed the door behind him.

He emerged a minute later and went back to the living room, but Jess was nowhere in sight. "Hey, where'd ya go?" he called out.

"Down here," her voice came from the vicinity of the floor in front of the fireplace, which was currently blocked from Stacy's view by the couch. As he rounded the large piece of furniture the suggestion that they sit there and watch some tv died unspoken as he caught sight of Jess. She was reclining on her side on the fur rug, wearing her new boots, her necklace and a smile – and that was it.

All thoughts of baseball movies, tv and almost everything else in the world vanished from Stacy's mind as he knelt on the rug beside her, already stripping his shirt off.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

The remainder of their housekeeping duties went very well – until the end. Maybe it was an accumulation of the heavy bedroom activity they'd been indulging in all week, or perhaps it was due to all the mental energy expended on studying and taking finals, or perhaps both, but around 11pm on the Wednesday night before Tony was due to return from the islands, Jess and Stacy indulged themselves in the bedroom one last time and then fell asleep afterward on the king-size bed with their bare limbs still entangled. The next thing she was aware of was Stacy's hand gripping her shoulder, gently but urgently shaking her awake.

"Jess! Get up! It's one-forty! We gotta go!"

She forced her eyes open and sat up, blinking in the light of the lamp that Stacy had switched on in order to locate his clothing. "You…you're kidding," she groaned sleepily. "Did we really sleep that long?"

Stacy threw her an anxious nod as he picked his jeans up off the floor and quickly slid them on, then groped around the sheets for his shirt. "Yeah, we did. God, I'm sorry. I hope your mom isn't going to be too upset."

Jess began frantically searching for her own clothes. "She's probably going to kill me. And I had just promised her I wouldn't screw up with my new curfew. Oh man…" her voice trailed off as she snatched up her underwear, jeans and peasant blouse and began dressing herself. Stacy, now fully dressed, came over to help her fasten her bra.

"Don't worry, maybe she'll be asleep and you can sneak in, and she'll be none the wiser," he said hopefully, briefly running his index finger down the side of her neck.

Jess shook her head doubtfully, but when they pulled up in front of her house almost 20 minutes later, the front rooms were all dark, and her hope increased that her lateness would go unnoticed. She let herself silently in the front door as Stacy cruised away slowly in order to keep the engine noise muted, and tiptoed to her room, not even bothering to visit the bathroom, fearing that water singing in the pipes would clue Sandie in.

The next morning she woke up early to get ready for her last final exam and discovered that her mother hadn't left for work yet. Jess softly padded barefoot into the living room, where Sandie was having a basic breakfast of cottage cheese and an apple while she watched the 'Today' show. Jess got a glass of orange juice and sat by her mom on the couch, trying to act casual and feeling like she was home free.

Unfortunately, she wasn't. Sandie finished the last bite of her fruit, then turned to look her daughter straight in the eye. "What time did you get home last night?" she asked her in an even voice that betrayed nothing of her inner state.

Jess knew that lying would be pointless and would probably get her in even bigger trouble. "It…it was after curfew," she admitted, dropping her head to study the coffee table in front of her.

"It was a good way past curfew. I woke up about a quarter past one, and you weren't home yet. And I couldn't get back to sleep until I heard you come home. And yes, I know you were trying to sneak it, but I _did _hear you," she admonished Jess sternly.

Starting to flush, Jess tried to defend herself. "Mom, I can explain! We fell asleep in front of the TV, honest-"

Sandie cut her off with an impatient downward slashing gesture. "I'm not buying that. Jessica, what did I tell you about abusing your curfew?"

Indignantly, Jess continued to protest. "But mom, it wasn't 'abusing' my curfew, I really didn't intend to stay out so late! Stacy and I are just tired lately from so much school stuff and it was a boring show and we just nodded off!"

"I find it hard to believe that his parents didn't notice that and wake you up," Sandie shot back skeptically.

"They were asleep already. We had the TV on really low," Jess said with a pout, once again inwardly surprised at how easily the lies came out. But if Mom learned the truth she'd probably ban me from seeing Stacy again, Jess thought frantically. I can't let that happen! "Look, I really am sorry, and I promise it won't happen again," she begged with wide eyes.

Sandie frowned as she gathered up the detritus of her hasty breakfast. "I have half a mind to ground you, then I know it won't happen again, or at least for a little while," she muttered grumpily over her shoulder as she went into the kitchen to throw her trash away.

Jess felt a sharp pang of fear resonate through her midsection. That birthday party is this Saturday. I can't miss that! God, Stacy would laugh at me so hard if I got grounded. And then he'd dump me for a girl who isn't so under her mother's thumb. "Mom, really, it was an honest mistake. If you're going to punish me, then move my curfew back to where it was. But please don't ground me. Stacy and I are supposed to go to a friend's birthday party on Saturday and I've already gotten her a present."

"What friend is this?" Sandie asked as she began washing her hands.

"You've never met her, but she's dating a close friend of Stacy's whose dad is a police officer. The party is during the day and there will be parents chaperoning," Jess explained, desperate to make the event sound as innocent as possible. Besides, that much is true, Allen told Stacy on Monday that his parents would be there and his dad is a Culver City cop, so I can't see the party getting out of hand at all.

Sandie sighed as she dried her hands with a strawberry motif kitchen towel. "Oh all right. I won't ground you, but your curfew is going back to where it used to be."

"Until when?" Jess demanded indignantly despite herself.

"Until I say so," Sandie barked as she threw the towel down and stalked out of the kitchen. "Don't push it with me, missy," she informed Jess coldly as she passed her and picked up her purse from the dining room table. "I'm going to work now and don't want to hear anything more about the matter," Sandie declared, then exited the house. Jess stuck her tongue out at the front door as her mom closed it behind her, but realized that even though her mom was being bitchy, she was also right. She could have grounded me

for the whole summer and there wouldn't be anything I could do about it, she thought glumly as she took her empty juice glass into the kitchen and rinsed it in the sink.

An hour later she was taking a seat at her desk in the Geometry classroom, preparing to take the final. As she nervously flipped through her notes one last time, she became aware of someone sitting in the desk beside her. It was Stacy, wearing a red-white-and-blue striped shirt and red shorts that didn't even come halfway down his well-made thighs. So much for having no distractions during the exam, Jess thought, then returned her paramour's bright smile. "Cramming? That's not a good idea," Stacy told her teasingly.

Jess just shook her head and sighed. "No, I'm ready. Just highly pissed off right now and trying to get in the mood to take this damn thing." She explained the earlier exchange with her mom, eliciting a sympathetic shake of Stacy's blonde mane. "Good thing she didn't ground ya," he said in a relieved tone.

"I know. Finding another girlfriend in time for the party might be tough," Jess said with a little laugh, but Stacy didn't join in.

"What're you talking about?" he asked with a quizzical look. "Find another girlfriend, ha, that's rich." Then the instructor walked into the classroom bearing a stack of blue exam books. Stacy stood up, stopping to kiss Jess on the cheek. "Don't worry – about anything," he instructed her before moving to his regular desk on the other side of the room. Jess took his advice and cleared her mind of everything but formulas as the blue books were handed out and the class instructed to start working.

Ninety minutes later Jess answered her last question, closed her test booklet, then got up and dropped it on the instructor's desk with an air of relieved finality. She gathered up her purse and left the classroom, unable to keep from glancing at Stacy as he worked away, his brow furrowed and the tip of his tongue poking out ever so slightly as he erased an answer. When he emerged ten minutes later looking slightly dazed, Jess was waiting for him in the hallway.

"Man, I am so glad that's over," he enthused, shaking his head and then pushing his hair behind his ears to get it out of the way. Jess smiled at the habit, knowing it would be swinging back into his face in a matter of seconds.

"Yep, the vacation starts now," Jess announced as Stacy put one arm around her waist and steered her toward the nearest exit.

"Yeah, until summer school starts, anyway. We got until, when-"

Jess thought for a second. "Um, registration is May 24th. And classes start on the 26th, I think. Yeah, that sounds right. Hey, maybe we could register for classes together?" she suggested as they emerged from the building into the overcast noonday sunshine.

Stacy squinted up at the light grey sky. "Guess it's too late for the waves. Maybe I'll call around and see who's skating." At an impatient noise from Jess, he remembered to answer her last question. "Sure, yeah, we can register together. I don't know if we'll need the same classes or not, but going it together would probably make the process more bearable. Definitely."

"Good," Jess replied with relief, not wanting to stand in line alone for hours either. When they got to the parking lot they went their separate ways, she to the boutique and he to find people to skate with. Stacy gave her hug goodbye. "It's too bad we can't go back to the house anymore, I was getting so used to being there," he said, his voice heavy with regret.

"I know," Jess replied, the corners of her mouth downturned in sadness. "It was the perfect place to escape to."

Stacy pressed a quick kiss on her lips. "Yeah, it was nice while it lasted. Ok, I better let you get to work."

"Yeah, call me later tonight?" Jess requested as Stacy walked away, throwing her a smile and an affirmative thumbs-up.

Jess got into her Triumph and cranked the engine. It's probably just as well that we take a little break from each other. This past week has been intense. You know we overdid it in the sex department when the _guy _complains that he's sore! Her train of thought made her giggle the whole time she was backing out of her parking space and exiting the lot.

About two hours into her shift Stacy came into the boutique with a guy that Jess recognized from one of their visits to the Escondido Bowl the previous month. Both had skateboards under their arms and were flushed from exertion.

"Hey, you remember Kenny?" Stacy asked as they approached the counter. Jess nodded yes and bade the slightly older skater a greeting. Tossing his feathered light brown hair back, Kenny gave her a shy smile and a "hi" of his own, then began studying the nearest rack of clothing.

Jess leaned on the counter and rested her chin on her balled up fists. "So what brings you gentleman to our fine establishment?" she asked Stacy as he propped his board against the front of the counter.

"Kenny wanted to check out this new surf shop that opened down the street."

"Yeah, and they were chargin' an arm and a leg," Kenny growled as he fingered a gauzy blouse.

Stacy grimaced. "Yeah, I don't think anyone can beat Skip's prices."

Jess gave them a sympathetic smile. "Sorry to hear it, guys."

"Yeah. Oh well, that's the way it goes," Stacy said with a little shrug. "Hey, do you think we should get Allan's girlfriend her birthday present from here? Since you said she shops here a lot," he suggested.

Jess tilted her head to one side, thinking. "Sure, I guess. I'm not sure how much I can spend, though."

"We'll go in on it together, how about that?" he replied.

"Ok, deal." Jess came out from behind the counter and began going through the racks for something she thought Mindy would like, based on her past purchases. After an intense search she pulled out a black and white blouse and skirt set that she'd seen Mindy try on but not buy, probably because it was on the expensive side. Well, if I apply my employee discount and Stacy pays for half, then it won't be so bad, she mused. Yeah, this will be perfect. She took it to the counter and rang it up, putting Stacy's crumpled up bills in the register. He always pays for everything with ones, the sure sign of a restaurant employee, Jess thought bemusedly.

"I'll take care of wrapping it, ok?" she told Stacy as he leaned down and picked up his board.

"Sure thing, and I'll take care of the card," her boyfriend told her as he turned to go. "Ok, Kenny. Later, Jessica!" And with that, he was off without any kind of affectionate farewell gesture. Jess knew him well enough at that point not to fret over it. Sometimes he's a little restrained when he's around his older friends, she thought as she got a gift box from the stockroom and carefully folded the blouse and skirt set into it along with some tissue paper. I guess he doesn't want them to see him as your typical teenager, not that he is. Man, I really lucked out with him.

Smiling with satisfaction, Jess taped the box closed and put it under the register with her purse. I can't wait for the party on Saturday. I just hope it is more of a Malibu crowd like Stacy said. And since it's going to be chaperoned and in the daytime, I doubt any of the usual Dogtown troublemakers will bother to come by. Yep, it should be a good time, and get the break started off right. Although I am bummed about not having the mountaintop house to go to anymore, she thought sadly as she began to put price tags on the new Summer arrivals. Oh well, maybe this house where the party is being held will have a spare bedroom somewhere out of the way, she thought with a mischievous smirk. So if the party's boring then Stacy and I can just…slip away for a bit and liven things up. Hey, maybe we'll still slip away even if it's not boring. I am totally addicted to that guy now. Wow, man. She shook her head in disbelief at how far gone she was in lust.

Lost in the memories of the past week and planning further mischief for Saturday, Jess happily worked the afternoon away.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36 Part 1**

Late Saturday afternoon Jess and Stacy drove in his car to Malibu, where Mindy's birthday party was being held. During the trip up as the ubiquitous Allman Brothers Band provided the background music, Stacy filled Jess in on some of the salient details about Mindy and Allen's crowd.

"The girl throwing the party for Mindy is named Leela…wait, I already told you about her. Mindy's best friend is a girl named Jackie, and right now she's uh, in a family way, if you catch my drift. Won't name the father, but we all have our suspicions," he said, drumming his fingers on the top of the steering wheel introspectively.

"Ah, very interesting," Jess replied, feeling like she should be taking notes.

"Mindy's older sister Michelle is likely to be there. She's also hung out with a lot of the Dogtown and Zephyr people, but she kinda keeps herself distant at the same time. She and I both went to Venice High at the same time, but our paths didn't cross a lot. She was always doing cheerleading and sports and I was always slinking in late with my hair still wet from surfing – on the days that I came at all, that is," he admitted with a slightly crestfallen smile.

And I see that little has changed now that you're in college, Jess thought wryly, but kept the observation to herself, unwilling to bring a critical note to the conversation and potentially cast a dark cloud over the day.

"Umm, let's see, who else? Wentzle Ruml and his girlfriend from Marina del Rey will probably go. Oh hey, you're not upset at him for what he did…you know…" Stacy let his voice trail off as gave her a little questioning look out of the corner of his eye, then resumed his concentration on the road, which was turning into the Pacific Coast Highway.

Jess quickly shook her head no. "Of course not," she said with a casual wave of her hand. "Water off a duck's back." Yeah, it hurt for a little, but in the end it cleared the decks for me to meet Stacy and that's definitely not a bad thing, Jess mused.

"And other than that, I guess it'll be mostly Malibu types, like I said the other day. At least, that's my best guess since Leela grew up there and that's where Allen surfs nowadays. Man, could that guy ever rip up the Cove though," Stacy said wistfully.

"How did he and Mindy get together?" Jess wondered aloud.

Stacy raised his light eyebrows, thinking back. "It was last year and I think Allen actually dated Michelle first, then switched over to Mindy for some reason."

Jess nodded understandingly. "I wonder if that reason was because Mindy was willing to put out and Michelle wasn't?" she mused with a sly smile, causing Stacy to throw his head back and laugh.

"No comment!" he said when his chuckling died down.

"And is Michelle seeing anyone on the Zephyr team too?"

"Not that I know of," Stacy replied with a little shake of his head. "Word on the street is that she's got the hots for Nathan now, but I'm afraid she might be at the back of a looong line. Nate's quite the ladies' man."

"I see," Jess quipped. Yeah, from what I remember about Nathan he seemed to have that confident air about him, like he thought he was the proverbial god's gift. He's handsome, but not really my type, she mused distractedly, then realized that she was missing Stacy's next words.

"-I mean, she's really pretty and all, but he has pretty girls just coming out of the woodwork," he was saying, unaware that Jess wasn't listening at first.

"You mean Michelle?" she queried.

Stacy shot her a little sidewise look. "Yeah, who else?"

Jess shrugged. "Just making sure. So she's pretty, huh?"

"Yeah, very pretty," he confirmed, then hastily added, "but she and I never dated or anything, so don't worry." The song "Statesboro Blues" started up and Stacy's shoulders literally shivered as the slide guitar kicked in. "Aw man, I _hate _that Duane died before I ever got a chance to see him live," Stacy sighed wistfully. "But your dad is sooo cool for getting to ride motorcycles with him." And that's probably the 50th time since he's said that since we started going out, Jess thought, but once again refrained from commenting. And to be honest, my dad _is _pretty cool, for that and a lot of other reasons besides. I wonder what would have happened if I'd lived with him instead? She cast a surreptitious glance at Stacy, who was contentedly humming along to the song, his gaze focused on the road in front of him. I doubt I'd have found such a great boyfriend in Athens, though, she thought with a secret smile.

A few minutes later they were pulling up in Leela's driveway. Stacy parked his car behind a van that he identified as Allen's, and together he and Jess walked around to the back of the house, following the sound of music playing on a stereo. They entered the backyard pool area, which was festooned with balloons and flower-decorated tables. Jess noted that the few guests already there were mostly from Dogtown despite Stacy's earlier assertation to the contrary. Glancing around the pool area, Jess recognized Mindy's boyfriend Allen, Nathan Pratt, and Paul Constantineau as well as the birthday girl herself. Standing near Nathan and Mindy were an older couple who looked like they might be Mindy's parents and two very attractive girls who were similar in age and coloring but clearly weren't sisters. One of them had a classic, tanned all-American athletic girl look similar to Stacy's recent ex Camille, only this girl had very long blonde hair and was fairly busty. The other girl was also blonde, tanned and busty but had the look of someone who preferred partying over softball. Over by the food tables an Asian guy with very long hair who looked vaguely familiar to Jess was grabbing a handful of chips as his date scanned the scene with a bored air.

"Hmm, so far it's more Santa Monica than Malibu, but don't worry. I know almost everyone and they're cool," Stacy told Jess _sotto _voice as they approached the guest of honor. As they got closer Jess noticed the athletic blonde girl reach out and shake the other blonde's hand, eliciting a slight wince of pain from the latter girl. There's clearly some tension between those two, probably over some guy, Jess mused.

Mindy sweetly bade Jess and Stacy welcome as they handed over her gift box.

"You didn't have to bring me anything," she told the couple, seeming slightly embarrassed but pleased at the same time.

"It's nothin'," Stacy told her, then glanced around, taking a mental headcount of the guests. "We're not too early, are we?"

"Right now we're waiting for Allen's parents," Mindy informed him. "I know you know them. And Jackie, you remember Jackie? She's staying with these people in Beverly Hills-" At the questioning look on Stacy's face, she held up her hand to stave off his inquiries "-it's a long story. Um, and Wentzle and Bonnie are going to show up."

Upon hearing this confirmation, Jess couldn't resist frowning a bit, then tried to assume a straight face before either Stacy or Mindy could remark on it.

The three of them talked for another minute about the other expected guests, mostly friends of friends. Mindy expressed the hope that the number of gatecrashers would be kept to a bare minimum.

"Tell me about it. Why do you think I never have parties?" Stacy quipped.

"I thought that was just because you were stuck up," Mindy said in a straightforward tone.  
Jess looked startled but Stacy just laughed. "You spend too much time with Nate," he informed Mindy. Jess didn't really understand that exchange, but decided it was some kind of in-joke.

Mindy excused herself to defuse the escalating tension between the two blondes, who she identified as her sister Michelle and Leela, the hostess. After Mindy was out of earshot on the other side of the pool, Stacy steered Jess toward the banquet tables, where the caterers were bringing out a variety of just-cooked foods. "Those burgers smell goo-ood," Stacy enthused as they got in line behind PC and Shogo.

"Damn, bro, save some for the rest of us," Nathan called out as PC began to load his plate.

The younger Z-boy just shrugged. "You shoulda gotten in line ahead of me if you're that worried," he shot back at Nathan with a grin.

"PC's notorious for having a bottomless stomach," Stacy muttered into Jess' ear.

After they had served themselves and gotten glasses of punch to wash the food down with, they sat together at the same table that Shogo and his somewhat sullen looking girlfriend were occupying. As Stacy got caught up with his fellow Z-Boy, Jess noticed Mindy and Leela going inside the house together while Michelle, clearly trying to regain her composure, went to the gate to meet two more girls who were just arriving.

About ten minutes later, when Stacy had gotten up for seconds, Mindy and Leela returned to the party with another girl that Jess hadn't seen arriving. The new girl was obviously pregnant and Jess decided she might be Mindy's friend Jackie. Mindy had changed clothes and was now clad in a long-sleeved white cotton minidress covered with various bright-colored rectangles of fabric. Jess thought it might be designer, but wasn't really up on fashions anymore.

"Pucci. That's cool," Shogo's date drawled in a tone that could have been either totally sarcastic or just hugely laid-back, Jess couldn't tell. Then Wentzle came striding through the side gate with a cute girl in tow, and suddenly Jess had something more important to think of than dresses. She instinctively sunk a little lower in her seat, hoping that the blonde skater with the improbable name wouldn't see her, or acknowledge her if he did notice her presence.

Fortunately for Jess, but not so much for the birthday girl, the obviously already-intoxicated Wentz beelined for Mindy and began loudly complimenting her outfit, then went to the buffet and began loading up an even bigger plate of food than Stacy's and Paul's put together. The whole time he was ignoring the girl he'd brought, who simply stood in one place and wrung her hands until Mindy greeted her like an old friend. So that's the longstanding girlfriend from Marina, eh? Jess thought derisively. Wentz obviously takes her for granted. Wonder why she puts up with that?

To her dismay Wentz brought his plate of food over to their table and sat down beside Shogo, who traded high-fives with him. Then the drunken newcomer seemed to notice Jess for the first time. "Hey, hot lips," he slurred out, then took a huge bite of his burger.

As she rolled her eyes Jess was aware of Stacy's gaze flicking back and forth between her and Wentzle, but she declined to elaborate. Instead she focused on Mindy, who was now encouraging one of newer female guests to sit beside PC. Playing matchmaker, eh? Jess thought bemusedly. That's certainly kindhearted. PC is really cute but way too young for me. He's even younger than Jay, I think. At the thought of the wild blonde Jess gave an involuntary frown, which Stacy mistook for disgust at Wentzle's continued drunken ramblings.

"He's usually not _this_ bad," he mumbled quietly into Jess' ear, although at that point Wentzle was so loud that Stacy could have shouted it through a bullhorn and no one would have taken heed. Finally Mindy shut Wentz up by telling him to go sit by his date and promising him a primo slice of birthday cake later.

"I do a lot of babysitting," she explained to Jess and Stacy, who were watching the scene with amusement. Shogo laughed, then jumped up to get a beer.

Allen's father walked over and Mindy told Allen to introduce him to the table. Allen unhesitatingly did so, then excused himself to get Mindy some potato salad, also at her request. Not wanting to look slack in comparison, Stacy immediately offered to get Jess seconds as well.

Once both guys were gone Mindy turned to Jess with a look of concern. "I noticed that there's something between you and Wentz. You don't have to tell me what it is, but if Wentz starts any shit let me know and he'll get taken care of."

For a moment Jess was slightly taken aback – was it that obvious that Wentz's presence made her that uncomfortable, or had Mindy heard of their failed attempt to hook up? "There's nothing between us-" she started to retort, but in that moment Allen had returned to the table to announce that they were out of potato salad, but more was coming.

"Little pigs," Mindy growled as her glare fell upon PC and Wentz respectively, each with a mountain of potato salad on his plate.

"Hey, they're growing boys," Allen said with a little chuckle.

After everyone had eaten their fill Leela brought out the cake, which was frosted with a beach scene, and then Mindy opened her presents. She seemed delighted with the clothes that Jess had picked out for her, much to Jess' relief. One of Allen's presents was a new, pink skateboard deck plus all the needed hardware to set it up. Upon seeing it Jess felt a slight frisson of envy. Stacy's never once tried to show me how to skate or even invited me to stand on his board, she thought privately. But then again, I've never expressed any interest in skating, either. So maybe I can't blame him for thinking I don't care much about it beyond watching him skate. Which I could do all day, to be honest.

At this point all the parents left and both she and Stacy switched to drinking beer like most of the other guests. Nathan had a beer in each hand, not sharing with either Leela or Michelle, both of whom were clearly making plays for his attention while hissing wordlessly at each other when the object of their affections wasn't looking. PC chugged his entire can in mere seconds, eliciting a round of applause from everyone watching. "Ok, who's the first to ride the pool?" he shouted after he wiped the foam from his mouth.

"I'll be doing the honors, thank you very much," came an answering male voice from the side gate. All heads turned to behold the arrival of TA, Bunker and two obligatory beautiful but unspeaking female bits of arm candy, closely followed by Biniak, whose eyes were glued to the girls' undulating backsides. Bringing up the rear was Jay Adams, who also appeared to be pre-lubricated with alcohol and who knew what else. All of the males in the little group had their Zephyr team skateboards tucked under their arms and were dressed to shred some coping. Quickly looking across the pool at Mindy and her friends to gauge their reaction to the crashers, Jess noticed that Jackie's face was dark with fury. Although she couldn't hear them, she saw Mindy quickly turn to her pregnant friend and speak to her in a reassuring tone. Jess wondered if one of the new arrivals was the father of Jackie's unborn baby.

"You know you can't have a party without me!" TA declared as he approached Mindy and reached out to take her hand and press a kiss on it, which she allowed after a slight hesitation.

Mindy's sister Michelle barked, "It's Mindy's birthday! She invited her _friends_." From the way she emphasized that last word it was obvious that for some reason Michelle didn't count Tony in that group.

TA remained unfazed. "Ahh, I know you didn't get a chance to invite _all_ your friends, since you have so many, Mindy," he declared smoothly. "Anyway, Happy Birthday."

Mindy smiled at him. "Ok fine, charmer, you can stay."

"Like you'd say anything else," TA guffawed with a wink and a brief caress of Mindy's Pucci-clad shoulder. Then he turned back to the rest of the party and clapped his hands twice in an imperious fashion. "Ok ladies, let's get it on," he derisively addressed the skaters, since it was clear he didn't mean any of the actual females. "Jayboy! Quit staring into space and get into that pool!"

Upon hearing TA's command Jess felt a surge of relief. Until that point Jay had indeed been staring, but not into space. He'd been looking at her so intensely that she thought his gaze would burn twin holes into her flesh. Now she was really starting to feel nervous. Wentzle is one thing; he's just a clown who can't stick to one girl, she thought privately. But Jay…he could really be trouble. I'm obviously not forgiven for running out on him at Red Dog's party. But like with Wentz, I don't want to say anything to Stacy and ruin the party for us. Maybe Jay will get wrapped up in the skating and forget all about me, she hoped. Once again, she saw Mindy looking at her with an observant and thoughtful expression on her pretty face. Geez, is there anything that girl doesn't miss? Jess wondered to herself.

Stacy finished his second beer and tossed the empty bottle into the nearest trash can. "Why didn't I bring a board?" he moaned regretfully to Jess. She was secretly glad he didn't because he wouldn't be able to skate and ignore her like the other guys were now doing to their dates. But once again, she refrained from saying so, remembering how stoically Camille had dealt with being a skate widow. Complaints would only drive us apart, Jess rationalized. Instead, she threw Stacy a sympathetic smile.

"Well, you'll have plenty more pools to skate. And anyway, this one looks kind of umm…tricky?" she ventured although she knew that assertation was probably wrong.

"It is a little tight, but hey, a challenge is always good. You take what you can get," Stacy replied, his eyes on Biniak as he took a lighting-fast run. "See the speed you can get on a smaller roundwall?" he pointed out to Jess, who just nodded.

She looked across the pool just in time to see Mindy take Allen's hand and lead him inside the house. Hmm, three guesses what they're going to do, she thought, then felt Stacy's elbow dig gently into her side. "Hey, where do ya think they're going?" he asked her with a mischievous smirk. In the pool, Shogo was executing a perfect three-wheels-out kickturn in almost poetic slow motion, his straight black hair flying out around his head in a wide, neat circle. Even Jess had to intake an appreciative breath at the Asian skater's fluid and distinctive style.

"He was just tellin' me while we were eating that he has his choice of sponsors," Stacy informed Jess, trying to keep the jealousy out of his voice and succeeding – barely.

In between runs and bantering with his fellow Z-Boys, Jay shot Jess an occasional unfathomable look, which made her all the more nervous. To calm herself she matched Stacy beer for beer, causing him to eventually comment on her unusual appetite for alcohol.

"Well, it _is_ a party," Jess countered lamely, but Stacy didn't seem convinced.

"Everything ok? You seem kinda…I dunno, out of sorts," he observed aloud as he pulled his chair closer and draped one arm around her bare shoulders. "Ever since TA and his friends got here," he continued. "Hey, didn't you say something about Jay hitting on you at Red Dog's party?"

Slightly alarmed at her boyfriend's newfound concern, Jess just shook her head quickly. "No, he was just a little drunk and annoying," she hastily fibbed. It's risky to downplay things like this, but I don't want Stacy pissed at his teammate for treating me like crap, Jess told herself. It's over and done and wasn't such a terrible thing, anyway. Still, the less Stacy knows, the better. Otherwise he might think I'm trying to work my way through the whole team!

She let her attention focus on the pool again, cheering with the others as TA did an extra-long carve grind along the coping. Jess almost expected to see smoke rising from the lip of the pool after he shredded it, he was skating that hard. Out of the corner of her eye she could tell Stacy was borderline fuming over not being able to wow the crowd with some hot moves of his own. Then she saw Jay throw her another look and decided that something had to give. She put one hand on Stacy's forearm and gazed up at him as seductively as possible. "Stace, I need to use the bathroom, will you go in with me?"

At first it seemed like he might say no since he was somewhat engrossed by the action in the pool. But when Jess' gaze didn't waver from his, he seemed to get the idea. "Sure, I'll go with ya. I could stand to hit it up myself."

They stood up and headed toward the nearest door into the house. Leela saw what they were doing and upon learning of their mission, directed them to use any bathroom on the first or second floor. Once inside, they realized the house was quite large with different hallways leading in different directions. The first door they found that looked it might be a bathroom was closed and locked. Stacy jerked his head toward a nearby staircase. "Let's see if there's one on the second floor," he suggested. He and Jess quietly ascended the stairs and soon found what they were in search of. Ever the gentleman, Stacy let Jess go first. When it was his turn Jess ventured a little way down the upstairs hall to curiously peek into those rooms with open doors. One of the ones with a closed door had some tell-tale noises coming from the other side, and Jess decided it must be Mindy and Allen, since they were the only couple so far who had disappeared. As Stacy emerged from the bathroom Jess quickly tiptoed to him, then took his hand and pulled him down the hall with her, making the classic "shhh" gesture as they went. They stopped outside the closed door and listened for a moment, Jess trying hard to repress her giggles and Stacy trying not to blush or look terribly interested. "C'mon," he mouthed to her, taking her hand to pull her away. As they got to the top of the staircase, Jess, who was entirely unwilling to go back to the pool area, tried a stalling tactic.

"Staaacyyy," she simpered, grabbing the waist of his shirt with one hand to stop him short and gently tugging on one strand of his wheaten hair with the other, "didn't that give you any ideas?"

End of Part 1


	37. Chapter 36 Pt II

Chapter 36 Part II

"_Staaacyyy," she simpered, grabbing the waist of his shirt with one hand to stop him short and gently tugging on one strand of his wheaten hair with the other, "didn't that give you any ideas?"…_

With one foot still hanging in the air, ready to set it down on the top step, Stacy paused. "Maybe," he replied uncertainly. "But uh, do you think it's cool to do it in someone else's house like this?"

Jess gave him an exasperated look and clicked her tongue. "Hey, where have we been doing it all for the last week?" she shot back, and he couldn't argue with that.

They went the other way down the hall and found a what appeared to be a guestroom. As they went in, Jess noticed some of Mindy's presents piled on the floor by the bed.

"I dunno if this lock is really secure," Stacy said a bit worriedly as he tested it out by turning the doorknob.

"Maybe it's one of those where you can open it from the inside but not the outside?" Jess suggested. Stacy shrugged, but left it alone and moved to join Jess on the bed. They quickly stripped off and began kissing and caressing each other, working feverishly to round the bases as fast as possible. Within two minutes Stacy had reached home plate and was half-whispering a running commentary: "Oh Jessica… I love this… love y-"

He suddenly broke off talking and looked up sharply, his movements coming to a standstill. Confused, Jess tilted her head back to see the bedroom door and realized that they had an audience. Mindy and Jackie were standing in the open doorway, gaping unabashedly at the sight of their coupling.

"Dios mio, I guess Stacy's not a virgin after all," Jackie gasped, followed by a hasty and truly embarrassed sounding, "We're so sorry!" from Mindy, who used both hands to pull Jackie away from the door and kicked it closed behind her with one foot.

Stacy and Jess wordlessly regarded each other with shock, then he dropped his head and rolled over to sit on the edge of the bed with his face buried in his hands. Jess lay where she was, breathing hard and blinking with incomprehension. Then the full realization of what had just happened hit her, and she moaned in mortification.

"Well, that was a first," Stacy said through his fingers, then lifted his head and raked his hair back with both hands. "I guess with all the foolin' around we've been doing lately, it was gonna happen sooner or later," he admitted with an uncomfortable chuckle.

"What did that girl…Jackie…mean by that 'not a virgin' comment, anyway?" Jess asked as she sat up and fished around with shaking hands in the sheets for her underwear.

Stacy shook his head and his hair promptly fell back around his still-crimson face. "I have no idea. I guess I have a reputation in their circle for being really inexperienced with girls," he grudgingly replied.

"Well, compared to some of those Dogtown guys, you definitely don't come across as a skirt-chaser, that's for sure," Jess quipped as she pulled her bikini underwear on and pulled her dress down to cover her thighs, then stood up and found her strappy sandals. "We are gonna be the laughingstock of the party," Jess said with a sigh as she put them on.

"We have to go back down there though," Stacy replied as he zipped up his jeans, although he clearly didn't relish the idea either. "I'm sure everyone else was too into the skating to notice we were gone anyway."

"Yeah, but I have no doubt those girls are telling the whole party what they saw," Jess shot back grumpily, all too aware how certain females could be in situations like this.

Quickly Stacy shook his head, eager to alleviate the worst of Jess' fears. "Nah, Mindy and Jackie have a little more class than that. Don't worry, let's just go down there and play like nothing's wrong. Ya ready?"

When they re-entered the pool area Jess realized it was now fully dark outside. Strategically placed tiki torches had been lit all around the patio, throwing pools of ambient light onto the partygoers, while a spotlight mounted high on one wall of the house threw the skaters into stark relief as they carved the empty pool. She was immediately relieved to see that nobody took any notice of their return, never mind pointed and laughed at the hot-to-trot couple. As they passed the buffet table Leela stepped over to them. "Did you guys find the bathroom ok?" she asked sweetly. Jess couldn't decide if she knew about their interrupted tryst or not. Then Allen and Mindy came out of the shadows.

"So, how's it hangin', Peralta?" Allen asked with a sly little wink, and Jess knew the jig was up. Despite her best instincts, she leveled a glare at Mindy, who to her credit colored a little and apologized for interrupting them upstairs. That was Allen and Stacy's cue to step away and watch the skaters.

"I guess we should be the ones to apologize for sneaking off like that," Jess admitted, blushing again.

Mindy grinned. "Hey, don't sweat it. I mean, I can't talk 'cause Allen and I were doing the same exact thing not long before you guys were. Only we made damn sure the door was locked," she added with a big wink that caused Jess to blush again.

"Yeah, well I thought Stacy had that covered," she replied with a grimace. "Next time _I'll _be the one in charge of locking the door."

Mindy threw back her head and laughed. "Right on! Like Allen's mom says, if you wanna get a job done right, give it to a woman." Jess laughed with her, glad that the situation was getting back under control, at least as far as the coitus interruptus episode went. A covert glance around the pool area revealed Jay and Wentz still in evidence and apparently still drinking, by the sound of their raised voices. Wentz's girl was sitting at a table with Michelle and two other girls. She was looking almost on the verge of tears and Jess didn't blame her. Wentz's treatment of her was going well beyond the normal obsessed skater norm. At least the other guys sat with their girls when they weren't in the middle of a hard session. Wentzle on the other hand was standing on the other side of the pool almost nose-to-nose with PC. Jess couldn't tell if they were arguing or just conducting some drunken friendly banter, but either way, they seemed to feel strongly about whatever they were discussing.

Jess sat back down at the same table as before and after grabbing two more beers, Mindy sat next to her and offered her one. Jess took it gratefully, feeling a little cotton-mouthed after getting that surprise in the upstairs bedroom. Mindy began asking her a few questions about where she was from and how she liked LA so far, and Jess answered readily, sensing that the other girl genuinely had no catty or evil intentions toward her, she just wanted to know more about the girl who had captured Stacy's heart. She told Mindy briefly about finding the job at Evie's boutique, and meeting Deb and Kathy along with the Zephyr shop crowd. In turn, Jess learned that Mindy and Stacy were longstanding schoolmates and acquaintances although Stacy was in the year ahead of her.

Then the topic naturally turned to Jess' stabbing and the perpetrators of the crime. "I can't stand those girls," Mindy snarled. "It embarrasses me to be from the same area as them. I'm glad you got to know Deb and Evie, they're cool."

"Deb has been such a great friend to me, especially after the whole thing at the Civic," Jess said, toying with the rim of her beer bottle with her index finger. "And she helped convince my mom to let Stacy keep seeing me. For that I'm putting her in my will, I swear!"

Mindy started to comment on how some mothers could be on the overprotective side, but was interrupted by a commotion coming from the pool. Both girls jumped to their feet and rushed to the edge, peering down curiously with the rest of the partygoers to see what the noise was about. In the deep end PC and Wentz were violently shoving each other and spitting curses, then Wentzle threw a tentative punch that glanced off of PC's left collarbone and fully infuriated the dark-haired Canadian native, whose shoves immediately became closed fist blows. Immediately Biniak, Stacy and Nathan ran down to pull them apart, clearly not liking to see teammates fighting each other. The instant PC and Wentz were half-led, half-dragged out of the pool TA immediately began skating it again, oblivious to the altercation's conclusion. Wentz's date was standing nearby with her back to the scene, hugging herself and sobbing aloud. Mindy went over to her and placed a comforting hug around the crying girl's shoulders. "Shh, Bonnie, it's ok," she told her in soothing tones.

Stacy began trying to calm Paul down. "Wentz is drunk, he doesn't know what he's saying or doing at this point. Don't take it personally. Just chill out, ok? You don't wanna fight on Mindy's birthday, right?"

His counsel seemed to have the intended effect on Paul, who dropped his shoulders in resignation after shooting one last glare at Wentz who was on the other side of the pool, still raging despite Nathan and Biniak's best efforts to quell his fury.

Allen came over to where PC, Stacy and Jess were standing. "What exactly happened? I had my back to the pool," he told them.

Michelle overheard his question and stepped forward to give her account. "PC and Wentz were taking a double run and they collided. I'd say it was Wentz's fault, really, but the impact broke his board and he flipped out and started pushing PC around. Then PC started pushing back and well, you saw the rest," she calmly related, as though witnessing Z-Boy fights was an integral part of her daily life.

PC, composure now regained, went over to Mindy and Bonnie and apologized for his role in the affair and for upsetting Bonnie so. "It's okay, PC. I should've insisted on going home as soon as I realized how drunk he was," Wentzle's girl replied between sniffles.

When Mindy began affectionately brushing PC's hair out of his face and gently chastising him for fighting Wentzle, Jess turned away, oddly disconcerted by the genuine affection she saw in Mindy's face when she touched PC and how he returned it with his shy smile and body language. You're not the only one who notices unspoken things between people, Jess mentally told the birthday girl. I wonder how long they've felt that way about each other and how far it got before Allen came onto the scene. They better get things worked out quick though, or that seven-year itch might come about six years early.

She realized that Stacy was by her side again, and casually slipped one arm around his waist as he returned the gesture. "Might be a good time to split the scene, whadda ya think?" he asked her out of the side of his mouth.

"You good to drive?" Jess inquired, looking up at his face to try and judge his level of inebriation for herself.

Stacy nodded a bit hesitantly. "Yeah, but maybe we should wait just a little longer to be safe. I'll have some more cake and some punch and when it settles, we'll go." And with that declaration he headed back to the buffet tables as Jess shook her head in amusement. Any excuse to eat, you'll take it, she thought with a mental giggle.

Her humor was to be short-lived, however, when the next person to appear at her side was Jay, and he looks like he could chew barbed wire and spit out nails, as Dad would say, Jess thought. "Um, hi Jay," she ventured cautiously.

"Hi yourself. What the hell game are you tryin' to play with me?" Jay spit out, the smell of hard liquor in strong evidence on his breath.

Bewildered and beginning to color slightly again, Jess started to edge away. "I…I don't know what you're talking about, Jay. I have no problem with you and I'm not trying to play games." She quickly glanced around for backup, but everyone was either concentrating on the aftermath of the fight or the action in the pool. Stacy was on the other side of the tables talking animatedly to Nathan, his back turned to Jess and Jay.

"I see you lookin' over at Peralta," Jay sneered. "Guess I'm not good enough for ya, but Mr. Purity is, huh?"

Of course, he's feeling scorned and jealous, Jess belatedly realized. She tried to defuse his anger by placing a placating hand on his forearm. "Jay, I'm sorry. I never meant to make you feel like we…"

"Had something?" Jay finished for her. "Well, you did make me feel that way. I mean, that makeout session we had in the Zephyr shop was hot. I know you wanted me. We could have finished our business at Red Dog's if you hadn't run out on me. What did ya do that for, Jess?" he asked, but the trace of genuine hurt in his voice was overridden by the hostile undertones. Jess instinctively took another step back.

"Look Jay, we have no unfinished business and there's nothing between us. Be cool, ok?"

Upon hearing that, the more open, pleading look on Jay's face vanished as his blue eyes darkened with rage. "Be cool, be cooool," he mocked Jess as he grabbed her forearm and tried to drag her to him. "I'll show ya cool, ya little tease."

Before Jess could even yell for help or try to pull away, rescue came from a most unlikely quarter – Jackie inserted herself directly between Jay and Jess, knocking Jay's arm down with one strong olive-skinned hand. "Get the fuck offa her before I snap your cabrón neck!" she hissed, her slightly Mexican-accented voice loaded with high-octane venom. Jay let go of Jess but didn't move away, just glared icily at her. Jess was worried that he might deck her despite the fact that she looked about six months along, but instead of raising his hand again, he growled, "Why do the stupid ones always get knocked up?" then turned on one heel and stormed off.

Jackie unleashed a string of Spanish curses at his retreating back. Immediately Mindy was at their side, asking Jackie in English and Spanish what had happened. Jackie related her part in the tale. "After he said that shit about getting knocked up I was gonna punch him out but then I decided he wasn't worth the effort." She gave a disdainful snort. "So what was up with your boy PC and Wentz anyway?"  
Mindy shrugged. "Eh, Wentz was just being a jerk. He told Paul that we'd gone all the way."

"No!" Jackie shrilly retorted. "You didn't, did you?" she asked her friend, a suspicious and slightly alarmed look crossing her face.

"No, of course not!" Mindy hastily replied, but Jess didn't miss the blush that began to spread across her high cheekbones.

"Okay, just checking," Jackie replied. Then they both looked at Jess, realizing she'd witnessed the entire exchange. At the obviously confused look on the Eastern transplant's face, Mindy held up a defensive hand. "I swear my life isn't normally this complicated. Man, that bastard Jay. What the hell did he want with you anyway, Jess?"

Now it was Jess' turn to look uncomfortable. "Well, we uh, we met not long after I moved here and ended up making out a little bit at a Zephyr party. Then I met Wentzle and we also kissed, but then I found out he was seeing someone else. And the last time I saw Jay it was at Red Dog's party. Jay wanted to make out again, but I was upset over Wentzle and not really into Jay anymore, so I took off and Stacy caught up with me outside the house and took me to dinner and then we sorta became an item after that night. But I swear nothing else happened with me and Jay and Wentz," she concluded in a low voice so none of the partygoers could overhear. "Sorry, I'm babbling," she told Mindy and Jackie.

The two other girls just laughed. "Hey, it's ok," Jackie reassured her. "At least you guys only kissed. I wish that's all I had done with Jayboy," she sighed, rubbing her rounded belly pointedly.

Wide-eyed with surprise, Jess asked, "You mean he's…?" and gestured toward Jackie's stomach. Before Jackie could confirm or deny it, two girls walked up to the little group to tell Mindy goodbye. Then Stacy finally came over.

"What was going on here with you guys and Jay?" he asked, concern shadowing his handsome features.

"It's all under control, Stacy, don't worry about a thing," Jackie told him, then clasped Jess' shoulder with a friendly hand before turning back to the pool area. "Who's gonna get this mamacita-to-be a glass of punch?" she called out and several guys hastened to obey, obviously impressed or intimidated by the outburst she'd directed at Jay.

Then Bunker approached their little group and politely asked to have a private word with the birthday girl. "We're gonna take off too," Stacy told Mindy as she started to walk away to her impromptu conference with TA's wealthy friend. She turned back and bade them farewell and thanked them for coming to the party and for the present, giving Jess an extra-big hug. "Sorry again for all the craziness," Mindy whispered in her ear.

"No, there's nothing to apologize about," Jess reassured her. "It was a great party. Maybe see you in the boutique sometime soon, ok?" And with that parting sentiment she and Stacy made their exit as quickly as possible.

As he turned the car onto the Pacific Coast Highway heading south, Stacy asked Jess again what the deal was with Jay. Jess confessed to kissing him in the Zephyr shop, but reiterated firmly that nothing else happened and that he was the one she was fleeing when she ran out of Red Dog's party.

I uh, didn't realize that you two had made out," Stacy said with a bit of trepidation in his voice. "I thought he was just hitting on you for the first time at Red Dog's and you got yourself away."

"Yeah, well I didn't want to mention it to you because I didn't want you pissed off at him," Jess said in her defense.

Stacy furrowed his brow and shrugged. "Well, Jay's Jay, you know? It's not worth getting pissed off at him because he'll probably never change. As long as he didn't actually hurt you in any way? 'Cause then I'll deck him," he growled.

Jess shook her head hard, eager to distill his animosity. "No, he grabbed my arm tonight but I don't think he meant any serious harm. Not like Fr- um, some people can get." Stacy wondered who she had started to mention before amending her speech, but held back from asking.

"Anyway, it's all water under the bridge. I think he got the message that I'm with you now," she concluded, hoping the subject would be dropped.

Stacy, however, wasn't quite willing to let it go yet. "And you have no feelings for him at all?" he asked in a neutral tone.

Quite taken aback by the question, Jess could only shake her head in disbelief at first, then found her voice. "Stacy, you know I don't! Geez, it was only a few kisses months ago! And I quickly decided afterward that he wasn't the right guy for me. Jeez!"

Stacy held up a hand to calm her. "Ok, ok, sorry I asked! Moment of doubt, won't happen again," he confessed with a crooked smile. When Jess crossed her arms over her chest in a peeved manner, he reached out with his right hand and hooked his little finger around hers, coaxing her into taking his hand for a moment. "C'mon, Jessica, I know you don't like Jay in that way."

"More like not at _all_, after tonight," she snarled, but gave his hand a return squeeze before he let go. She turned to look out the passenger window, trying to see the Pacific, but it was a dark and moonless night, so the vast ocean off to their right was visible only in her imagination.

They drove along in silence for another minute, then Stacy spoke up again. "So do you have any lingering feelings for Wentzle, then?" At the renewed look of outrage on Jess' face he burst out laughing. "Psych!" he yelled over the car stereo, then winced as Jess began pounding his shoulders with her small balled up fists. "Hey, hey, c'mon! It was a joke! Ahh, mad Jersey girl on the loose!" He batted her hands away grinningly, causing the car to lurch a bit over the center line of the highway, and Jess immediately subsided and leaned back in her seat, not wanting to cause a head-on collision with her horseplay.

Silence descended once again. Then Jess broke it with a proclamation: "For the record, the only Z-boy or for that matter, _any_ boy I have feelings for is the one sitting beside me. And since I got interrupted earlier tonight, I'll just have to show you exactly how much I like you while we have no one to bother us. I mean, how do you walk in on a moving car?"

And with that valid question, Jess turned toward the driver's side and proceeded to show him without using words just how much she did care for him. The Volvo lurched toward the center line again and Stacy wrested it back into his lane, then settled back with a Cheshire Cat grin to enjoy the drive home to Venice.

**End of Chapter 36**

**Author's postscript:** Jay fans, I know your boy isn't getting depicted very nicely in this story, but someone had to be the dark to Stacy's light, and Jay won the "Antagonist" lottery. Remember, the characters in this story are based more on the original guys than the actors who played them in the LODT movie. There are many first-hand anecdotes out there, some told by Jay himself, that paint a good picture of how he was back then and believe me, LODT really lays off the gas when it comes to depicting him. So Jay lovers, please accept my sincerest apologies, but I refuse to romanticize him in order to make it a more pleasant story…the Stacy/Jess storyline has gotten sappy enough already! LOL.


	38. Chapter 37

**A/N: **Sorta fluffy and filler-ish, but I put some work into a couple of the scenes here, so hopefully you'll enjoy it all the same.

**Chapter 37**

"Hey Jess, you _just_ missed a totally gnarly collision between Stacy and one of the San Diego guys!" This was the greeting she got upon her return from a little hike into the trees surrounding the Escondido Bowl to answer the call of nature.

"No way, Kenny. Is everyone ok?" she asked concernedly as she broke into a trot towards the enormous concrete drainage bowl that was partially filled with about two feet of very muddy water and concrete rubble.

Kenny walked alongside her, his shoulder-length feathered brown hair gently bouncing with every step. "Oh yeah. The other guy got kinda wet, though."

As the bottom of the bowl came into view, Jess saw Stacy, clad in a bright orange tee shirt and matching jeans that she had begged him not to wear, claiming they would cause retinal damage to anyone who got within 50 yards. He was at the edge of the water inspecting his board for damage while a guy with longish brown hair, ironically clad in a blue-and-white horizontal striped tee shirt and blue jeans, was shaking excess water off his arms and legs, a vague look of disgust on his face. Stacy stepped over to him and they exchanged words that were unintelligible to Jess from where she stood, but there seemed to be no lingering animosity. Within a minute everyone was skating again.

Jess rejoined the little group of skater's dates who were sitting on the soft grass just beyond the concrete lip of the bowl. "Did you see them collide?" she asked Kenny's girlfriend Sheila, who nodded her head affirmatively, causing her long blonde braids to slide up and down the front of her cotton peasant top.

"Yeah, it happened really fast, but I don't think it was either guy's fault. Stacy went up the side of the bowl and did a Bert really fast, and while he was coming back down the other guy just happened to be skating in a straight line past him. Obviously neither one could have known ahead of time that the other guy would be there. Hey, Bobby!" That last bit was directed to a twenty-something skater with collar-length blonde feathered hair and a pencil moustache, who was skating the bowl with his feet together and parallel on the deck like a skier.

"Ok, gotcha. No harm, no foul, like our old basketball coach used to say," Jess said with a grin.

Sheila laughed, exposing very neat teeth that looked bright white against her tanned face. "Our coach used to say the same thing." Just then Kenny walked up and knelt down beside Sheila for a moment. "Babe, I'm gonna trade the stick in for my roller skates. Do you need anything from Tom's van while I'm down there?"

"Just some more jugs of water if there's any left," she told him, then gave him a quick peck on the cheek before he stood back up and made his way down the steep hillside where the vehicles were parked.

Stacy skated by at an insanely fast clip, little more than an orange blur with flying blonde hair. Earlier in the session he'd been mugging for the girls and throwing them little waves as he passed but now he was in his element and concentrating on getting speed with minimum physical effort, just perfecting the art of the flow. When he gets like that he can skate until he almost drops, Jess thought to herself. And yet I haven't found it boring yet. Guess that's because you never know what's going to happen next. Sorry I missed that collision, though!

When Kenny came back up the hill, toting a pair of tied-together roller skates and a plastic milk jug that now held spring water, he wasn't alone. Tony Alva and Bob Biniak were flanking him, a skateboard under each arm and no girls to accompany them, a fact that was not lost on the single female spectators. Jess couldn't help grinning to herself as the dateless girls immediately sat up straighter and began to preen, delighted to have hit the proverbial Z-Boy jackpot. Jess found Tony only moderately attractive and Biniak didn't appeal to her at all, but she didn't blame the other girls for wanting a shot at the two Dogtown skaters, especially now that the word was out that they were both sponsored by Logan Earth Ski. Almost no one from the original Zephyr skate team is left now besides Nathan and Stacy, Jess reflected privately, tilting her head to the sky to catch the rays of the sun as it became revealed by a low passing cloud.

With the arrival of the new skaters the session lost its laid-back feel and turned into an impromptu banked slalom race, using the colorful graffiti sprayed on the walls of the bowl in place of cones to carve around. Jess was delighted to see her boyfriend hold his own against the field, especially considering that the competition included some of the strongest skaters going, each with his own unique strength. Alva had power, Biniak had speed, Bobby the skier had the quick turning skills, Tom Sims had a good stable longboard and Kenny had extra control because he was on skates and therefore able to work his feet independently of each other. But Stacy knew how to throw his body weight around and the use the ball of his back foot for steering, so he was able to both go fast and turn sharply without having to charge the course hard and risk losing control. Biniak's wheels broke loose and he slammed, then Bobby missed a turn and dropped out, then Tom's longboard skidded on a rock and threw the handsome mustachioed rider. Finally only Kenny, Stacy and TA were left in the race and all the spectators were on their feet cheering on their favorites. TA, sensing that victory could be his, began skating harder than ever, a look of ironclad determination on his Latino features. He began moving a little higher up the wall so his downhill charges would have more power as well as having the added benefit of cutting more sharply across the paths of the other skaters, making him harder to pass. Nonetheless Kenny put on a burst of speed and edged ahead on a turn. Frustrated, TA looked back over his shoulder to judge Stacy's threat and ended up going wide on the next turn. Stacy cut hard to the inside of the same turn and passed TA as the crowd yelled even louder, either urging Kenny or Stacy on, or compelling TA to regain the lead. As he headed into the next to last turn, Kenny's left roller skate accidentally broke a tiny piece of concrete loose and sent it skittering into the paths of the two skateboarders behind him. TA had just drawn alongside Stacy again and was preparing to make the turn when his front wheel hit the chunk, causing his board to shudder wildly and veer to the left. Amazingly TA kept his feet on the deck, but as he began to careen toward Stacy, the other skater instinctively reached out with both arms to keep TA from running into him too hard. The collision caused both of them to bail, their loose boards flying up the walls of the bowl and over the lip, luckily – and narrowly – missing the people who were sitting there.

Sheila ran over to Kenny and gave him a congratulatory hug. After retrieving his board and giving TA a conciliatory slap on the shoulder, Stacy went to Jess for a hug of his own. "Sorry you didn't win, but I'm glad that's over," she admitted.

The corners of Stacy's blue eyes crinkled as he laughed. "Don't tell me you were scared!"

Jess gave a little embarrassed laugh of her own. "Hey, seriously. You have no idea how scary it looks."

"It's really not dangerous, though," Stacy protested, but desisted at a disbelieving shake of Jess' head.

"Well, maybe if I knew how to skate then it wouldn't look dangerous," she said in an accusatory manner.

Stacy's expression began to turn from mirth to thoughtfulness as he met Jess' gaze with his. "So what are you saying, really? That you wanna learn how to skate?" he asked her with a hint of doubt in his voice.

Jess lifted her chin defiantly. "Yeah, I want to learn how to skate. Since you say it's not _dangerous_," she added, putting a sarcastic little spin on the last word.

He licked his lips and ran one lightly tanned hand through his blonde mane, already becoming streaked from being out in the sun despite it not quite being Summer yet. "Welll, when I said it's not dangerous, I meant for an experienced skater," he explained, backtracking, but Jess cut him off.

"I didn't mean this place right _now_, but just…in general. I mean, I might not even be able to stay on a board for ten feet on flat ground, but we won't know until we try, right?" she said brightly.

Stacy laughed again. " 'We', huh? What makes ya think I'm gonna teach you how to skate?" he teased, but the spark of interest in his eyes told her that in truth the idea appealed to him. He's probably thinking that it would be an excuse for him to grab me in public if nothing else, Jess thought with a secret laugh of her own.

"C'mon, Stacy," she purred, playing along with his pretend-reluctant trip. She stepped closer and ran her fingertips suggestively down his chest, making him blush. "Please teach me to skate. Just one lesson. Pleeeasse?" She reached both arms around his neck and stood on tiptoes to bury her face in his hair and discreetly nibble on his right earlobe.

He squeezed his eyes shut and threw his head back. "Ok, uncle!" he cried out, causing a few heads in their vicinity to turn curiously in their direction. "I'll teach you some basics sometime," he promised as he gently pushed her a step backward, blushing even more furiously than before. "God, I wish you wouldn't do that with people watching," he added in a low whisper although his expression betrayed more pleasure than upset at her public display of affection.

Unfazed, Jess grinned at him and leaned in to steal a quick kiss on his lips. "Sooo shy," she quipped with an amused giggle. Off to their left Tom began to strum out a Gordon Lightfoot song on his acoustic guitar, apparently done skating for the day. TA and Biniak were back in the bowl, trying to find new lines in old territory. "You going to go back in there?" Jess asked, but Stacy shook his head no.

"It's getting late," he explained as he bent to pick up his board.

"But it's not even four o'clock yet," Jess protested. "That's not late!"

"It is if you want to go home and get your first skating lesson before it gets dark," he shot back, eliciting an excited squeal from Jess.

"Really? You mean it?" she asked him, bouncing on the balls of her feet in delight.

In response Stacy took a couple of steps away, then turned back and extended a hand to her. "I'm ready if you are," he told her.

She all too eagerly placed her hand in his and together they walked away, Stacy calling out goodbyes to the other skaters as he led Jess down the steep hillside that led from the reservoir to the parking area.

By the time they got back to Venice it was going on five and the shadows were long, but the light was still good. Stacy drove straight to Mar Vista Elementary since it was relatively close to both of their houses and the banks were much more mellow there than those at the other schools in LA. As he pulled up and parked next to the asphalt-covered playground Jess noted with relief that although it was a Sunday and school was out for Summer, the schoolyard was deserted. Stacy exited the car with his orange Zephyr board tucked under his arm, and helped Jess climb under the fence before following suit.

"Most guys would have climbed the fence, you know," Jess teased as Stacy crawled under the gap and stood up to brush off his light blue jeans.

"Well, most guys have a need to be showoffs," Stacy shot back with a smug smile. "I on the other hand have a more urgent desire to keep my dignity _and_ the seat of my pants intact."

"Ya coulda fooled me," Jess replied as she meaningfully reached out and fondled the tatters where his left back pocket used to be, sure that she could see a glimpse of his boxers through the shredded fabric. That's as much of a trademark look for a Z-Boy as the navy blue Zephyr team shirts, she mused. "Weren't those jeans new just a couple of weeks ago?" Jess couldn't resist asking.

Hurriedly Stacy pulled the hem of his shirt down. "Now you know where all of my extra income goes," he informed her a bit sadly. "New jeans. And shoes. They wear out even faster than the jeans, to be honest."

"Wow, I had no idea," Jess told him. "How on earth do you shred this stuff so fast, anyway?"

"You're about to find out for yourself. Come on." And with that Stacy directed Jess to follow him to an open area of the schoolyard. First he gave her a quick rundown of the skateboard's parts and how they all worked together, then he put the board on the ground and showed her how to step on it correctly without making the board shoot forward, a classic rookie mistake. "Here, step on it from the side and put your front foot on first," he instructed. Jess paused, unsure which foot should be her front foot.

"Guess we gotta figure out your stance," Stacy mused aloud, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Chances are good you ride regular like me and most people, but you might be a goofy-foot."

Jess shot him a funny look and he quickly explained: "It's not an insult, it just means you put your right foot forward instead of your left."

"Oh," Jess said with a nod of understanding. "But how do we know which one I am?"

"Well, you could try rolling around a little bit in each stance and see which one feels more natural, or you could try…let me see something." As he spoke he walked behind Jess and bade her to look straight ahead, then without warning gave her lower back a firm shove with both hands, noting that as she lurched forward she put her left foot out to brace herself. "Yep, looks like you're regular stance," he quipped.

"That was dirty pool," Jess complained, glaring at him as she regained her balance.

Stacy just laughed a little. "Nah, it's a classic method that surfing teachers use to help first-timers figure out their stance real quick," he told her. "No harm intended, ok?" He gave her a placating kiss and continued doggedly with the lesson. "So put your left foot on first, just behind the front bolts there. Now put on your back foot."

As he held both her hands to keep her from making any sudden downward moves, he showed her how to pivot on the balls of her feet to turn them from pushing position to riding position. Once that seemed smooth he got her to push once or twice, then ride a few feet, all the time keeping hold of her now-sweaty palms.

"You nervous?" he asked her with a little grin.

Jess shrugged. "No. Well, maybe. A little, yeah."

He let her roll to a stop and looked her in the eye. "What are you nervous about? Falling?"

She swallowed and nodded shyly, then instinctively looked down at her feet.

"Look at me, Jess," Stacy commanded in a kindly tone. When she obeyed, he told her, "Look, don't worry about that. You know what I heard TA tell Baby Paul once? That 'if you're not falling, you're not learning'. Ya catch my drift? Falls are going to happen no matter how good you are. You saw me and Tony racing today, right?" Jess nodded yes again and Stacy continued. "Tony falls, I fall, we all fall. And if you fall I'll be here to catch you, ok?"

"Ok," she agreed.

Stacy returned to teaching mode. "That's the spirit. Now we'll do it holding hands one more time, then you can try it on your own."

After five more minutes Jess was getting the hang of it and able to push off and roll longer and longer distances without Stacy holding her hands. He did trot alongside her just in case she took an unexpected spill. "Bend your knees and hold your arms out a little more," he told her. "You'll feel more stable."

Next he showed her how to turn by leaning in the desired direction and flexing her feet and ankles either up or down depending on whether she wanted to turn toeside or heelside. "Wanna try a tail stop? It's really good for your balance," he inquired playfully, but she shook her head, wanting to master one skill at a time.

Once she demonstrated that she could make wide, gentle S-turns, Stacy instructed her to take the board to the top of the lowest part of the banks surrounding the schoolyard and ride down it and across the long flat part. She put the board on the ground, then placed her front foot on the deck, then froze in place. Although the drop was less than two feet, it seemed more like ten to her. "I can't do it," she muttered, feeling more than her hands start to sweat furiously.

At first Stacy had to stifle a look of amusement, but he quickly realized that she was genuinely afraid and his laughing expression turned serious. "You want me to hold your hands again?" he asked solicitously.

Feeling embarrassed at her childish fear, Jess shook her head. "No, that's ok, I'll do it. Just gimme a sec, ok?"

Stacy stepped back, not wanting to pressure her implicitly. "Need a push?" he couldn't resist quipping with a little grin, trying to keep the mood light.

"No! God, no. Ok, I think I'm ready," she said a bit unsteadily, then took a big breath and put her back foot on the board.

"Lean forward and don't forget to bend your knees," Stacy reminded her as she began to roll forward. Although the trip was a bit wobbly, she got down the back and began to ride across the flat with no incidents. "Yeah, you got it, Jessica!" he called out, applauding her encouragingly like a Little League coach. "Hey, try some turns now!"

She carved a couple of small arcs before the board began to lose speed. "Let's go back to the top and try that again," Stacy told her when she had come to a complete stop. The second time she was at the top of the small bank, she stepped on the board and rode down the incline with only the barest hesitation. "_Much_ better," he praised Jess as she tried a few more turns on the flat part at speed.

The third time she went to the top of the bank, she started off from a slightly higher point. The extra speed made her heart pound, but she stayed upright. "Try hitting the bank again!" Stacy yelled. She ventured a wild look back at him over her shoulder and he gestured that she should carve to her left and ride the large bank beside her like she'd seen him do dozens of times. With a little shrug she attempted it, but the feeling of riding at an angle made her feel uncomfortable and she jumped off, making the board fly back down the bank toward the school building.

"What happened?" Stacy queried after he intercepted the board and caught up to her.

Jess pointed to the bank. "It just felt weird when I rode up it," she admitted sheepishly.

"You'll get used to it in time. Maybe if you're facing the bank when you ride it, you'll feel more comfortable," he counseled her. She nodded in agreement. "Come on and start from the other side," he urged her. The opposite bank was slightly higher than the one she'd been starting from, but she swallowed her trepidation and pushed off. This time the speed was almost too much, so she tried a big turn away from the bank, then carved toward it, climbing up it almost straight on as opposed to approaching from an angle as she initially intended. The board, doing what it was supposed to do, climbed high up the big bank, then slowed to a halt a foot from the lip. To her horror Jess found herself rolling backward fast. "OhshitwhatdoIdo?" she shrieked.

"Hang in there, you got it!" Stacy called out, already running to catch her and scoop her off her feet, but before he could get there the back wheels of the board hit the flat and Jess bailed, but not cleanly like a more experienced rider would have done. Her front foot stayed on the board as it kept rolling, making her lower body torque sharply before she realized her mistake and took it off the deck. In almost slow motion she lost her balance and fell on her backside, her upper body falling back with the downward momentum and bringing her head dangerously close to the black pavement.

A second later Stacy was crouching at her side, looking down at her in concern as she sat up and rubbed one shin. "You ok? That was a gnarly bail," he told her a bit unnecessarily.

"Yeah, the landing didn't really hurt as much as twisting my leg did, though," she informed him through gritted teeth. "Injured in the first fifteen minutes of my first lesson. That's gotta be a record," she added in disgust.

"Hey, you should have seen how shredded up my knees and hands were after the first week I started skating," Stacy told her with a little laugh. "Here, can I see your leg?" He reached out and gently palpitated her calf and shin with his hands. "What did you do to it exactly?"

"Umm, I don't know. Just twisted my shin somehow. That's what really hurts."

Stacy stood up. "We'll get ya home and put some ice on it, that'll help." He reached down and help her get slowly to her feet.

"Now I've got two bum shins," she joked grimly as she took a hobbling step forward.

For a moment Stacy looked confused, then realized she was obliquely referencing her stab wound and gave an anxious little laugh. "But your other leg isn't bothering you anymore, right?" he asked curiously.

Jess laughed as well. "Nah, I'm just being silly. It's healed up fine. I don't even think the scar's going to be that bad," she assured him as they made their way toward the gap under the fence. After they both crawled underneath, Jess stood up and insisted that she could walk on her own. "Looks like it's not anything serious, just a bit wrenched," she declared as she haltingly crossed the few feet to the car.

"We'll still get some ice on it when I get you back home," Stacy insisted as he opened the door for her solicitously.

During the drive back Jess expressed concern that her mom would be home and would give Stacy hell for letting her daughter get hurt, but upon arriving at her house they saw that Sandie was gone. "I bet she's out with that guy from work she's been seeing," Jess guessed aloud as she unlocked the front door and let herself and Stacy inside. She spied a note on the dining room table paper-clipped to a ten-dollar bill. "Gone to dinner and a movie with Sam. Be back by eleven. Treat yourself to dinner. Love, Mom," Jess read aloud. "Cool, where do you want to go for dinner, Stace?"

Stacy was already in the kitchen putting some ice into several layers of paper towels. "Let's take care of your leg first and then we'll figure out where to go," he insisted as he walked back into the living room and indicated that Jess should sit on the couch and prop her injured limb on the coffee table. While they took turns icing her shin, they talked about where they could go eat, finally settling on the cheap and easy route of takeout from the nearest Del Taco.

After twenty minutes Jess declared that she'd had all she could take and Stacy dumped the half-melted remains of the ice down the kitchen sink and threw the now sodden paper towels away. "Ok, let's go eat," he said as he helped Jess stand up. She tentatively flexed her leg and declared that it felt much better.

As they headed north, again with Stacy at the wheel, the looming green-gold Santa Monica mountains captivated Jess' gaze and sparked memories of the stolen week they'd had looking after Bunker's friend's house. "I wish we had another place to house-sit. That was so much fun," she said wistfully.

Stacy's vocal tone, normally a bit wistful and dreamy-sounding, sounded even more so as he replied. "Yeah, that was the best. Unreal."

Her face suddenly brightened as she got a sudden notion. "Stacy, why don't we think about maybe moving in together – not now, obviously, but maybe sometime later on this year?" She looked at him appealingly as she put forth the idea in the hope that he found it as appetizing as she did.

But her burgeoning hopes were dashed when Stacy drew his eyebrows together and shook his head uncertainly. "Uh…I dunno," he said after thinking for a moment. "I mean, how can we possibly afford to have our own place? Even the dumps in this area go for eighty bucks a week. I doubt we make that much even with our incomes put together. And then you have water, electric, phone…" his voice trailed off and he shook his head again.

Jess crossed her arms over her chest and sank down in the passenger seat a bit sulkily. "Hey, it was just an idea," she started to explain in her defense, but Stacy stopped her from saying more by reaching out and caressing her knee briefly.

"It's cool, Jessica. Don't get me wrong – I'd love for us to get out from our parents' houses and be together with no hassles, but unless something changes radically, it isn't gonna happen anytime soon. Not on the crappy wages we're makin', ya know?"

"Yeah, I hear ya," Jess replied distractedly, staring out of the window beside her into the middle distance.

At the next stoplight Stacy quickly leaned over and gave her a little kiss on the lips. "Don't worry, things won't be like this forever," he assured her.

Jess sighed partly in resignation and partly in agreement. "I know. If my mom were as cool as your parents then it wouldn't be so bad, but she still has to treat me like I'm eight, not eighteen."

Stacy gave her one of his classic nose-wrinkling, semi-smug smiles. "Well, that's how it goes. It may not seem fair, but society will probably always be overprotective of girls." He swung right into the Del Taco parking lot and parked in a space near the front door. "Especially the really foxy ones like you," he told Jess with a wink as he pulled her close for one more kiss.

"Oh man, 'foxy'? You're starting to sound like Jay now," she jested as they got out of the car.

Stacy gave a staccato laugh. "Hey, since he does so well with the ladies I thought I'd try his technique for myself," he joked back.

Jess intercepted him in front of the hood of the car and slid her arms around his waist. "You don't need to take a leaf out of anyone's book," she told him in complete seriousness. "You do just fine with the ladies yourself. Or at least one of them," she added with a mischievous grin.

"The only one who counts," Stacy declared as he looked down at her with a gentle smile that made her want to both swoon at his feet and push him down onto the hood while ripping his clothes off. Neither option was suitable if she wanted to retain her dignity or their right to be served at Del Taco in the future, so she settled for just returning his smile before they walked into the restaurant hand-in-hand.


	39. Chapter 38

**A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates, was out of town for a week. As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! **

**Chapter 38**

The morning of Summer session registration dawned hazy, typical weather for Southern California in late May. Without bright sunshine to rouse her, Jess had to rely on her alarm clock instead, which rang at 6:30. She sat up groggily and stretched, making her Led Zep shirt rise up to expose her flat and still-untanned midriff, then rolled out of bed and put on some ELO at low volume to help her get going. I don't see how people get up early every day to work or in the locals' case, surf, she thought a bit grumpily as she pulled on her newest jeans and a light blue tee shirt.

Half an hour later she was out the door, still chewing on her last bite of buttered toast. I really hope there's not a big line at the college, she hoped as she slipped behind the wheel of the Triumph and cranked the engine. But I have a feeling there will be, since it's the first chance to register for the Fall semester, too. At least I won't have to go it alone, she thought as an image of Stacy's face came into her mental field of view.

When she got to the main campus at Santa Monica College, Jess saw with a sinking heart that the parking lots were fairly full and steady streams of students were making their way toward the gymnasium, where the registration process would begin at 8am.

She took her place in the line outside the closed gymnasium doors and tried not to estimate how far back she was. After glancing at her watch she scanned around for Stacy, but saw no sign of him yet. Well, he did say he might go surfing first, she recalled. But he'd better be here by eight. Waiting alone is such a bummer. She didn't recognize anyone else in the line either in front or behind her and resolved herself to spend a boring hour just standing in one place. After a very dull ten minutes had passed, she took Stacy's and her own desired class schedules out of her purse and reviewed them one more time. She and Stacy had met with the same advisor at separate times in order to coordinate their schedules as much as possible. He'd already had a couple of the courses she still needed, and vice-versa, but they managed to find two courses they could both take: Statistics and Abnormal Psych (or as Nathan called it, "Nuts and Sluts").

After she refolded the papers and replaced them in her purse, she looked up just in time to see Allen Sarlo's girlfriend Mindy walk by. They recognized each other at the same time and the younger girl came over and gave Jess a quick hug.

"Are you taking classes here this Summer?" Jess queried her, a little confused because she thought Mindy was still in high school.

The other girl shook her head no. "I'm here with Allen. Signing up for the Fall is the last thing he has to do before he packs to go to Hawaii," she explained.

"Ah, gotcha. Yeah, Stacy's going to be here too…eventually," Jess muttered, looking at her watch again. Thirty-five minutes before the doors opened. Well, he still has time, she mused. But he'd better not skip this in favor of surfing or I might just decide to toss his schedule sheet in the trash and let him take his chances with late registration, she decided.

"Ahh, he'll be here. Stacy's a pretty responsible guy," Mindy told her with confidence.

Jess nodded in agreement. "Is Allen going to Hawaii to surf?"

With a little laugh that bared her white teeth, Mindy folded her arms across her slim ribcage. "Of course, what else? God, I want to go with him so bad. I'm gonna go nuts without him. We spend so many days – and nights – together that it's gonna be weird not having him around."

Jess' eyebrows raised slightly when she heard that proclamation. "Nights too, huh?"

Mindy nodded sagely. "Oh yeah, he frequently stays overnight at my place," she told Jess casually.

"And your parents don't mind? Or do they know?" Jess asked in amazement.

Mindy shot her an amused look. "Yeah, they know. They just don't care as long as Allen treats me well and doesn't get me pregnant. And if he did get me in a family way they'd accept it and support us 'cause hey, it happens, ya know?"

Enviously biting her lip, Jess musingly replied, "And I guess you have a really lax curfew too, huh?"

For a moment Mindy stared blankly at her, then an unrestrained look of mirth and disbelief spread across her pretty face. "Curfew? Are you kiddin' me? I haven't had a curfew since I was ten or eleven! Don't tell me you have one," she giggled, making Jess look down at the ground with an ashamed expression.

"Yeah, I got one," she admitted reluctantly.

"Man, how old are you again?" Mindy queried. Upon hearing the reply she hooted with laughter again. "Ohmigod, I'd move in with Allen's family…or friends…hell, I'd go stay at the 'Y' if it came to that!" Mindy declared.

Jess frowned in thought. "Bet the 'Y' has a curfew too, though," she mused aloud, but Mindy just rolled her eyes and made an exasperated sound.

"Anyway, you get what I'm saying. There's no way I could live like that. Don't know how you can put up with it, to be honest."

"Well, there's a reason for the way Mom is…" Jess broke off speaking and looked back at her sandaled feet again.

Mindy, her light eyes wide with interest, gave Jess a tentatively warm smile. "Hey, don't feel like you have to explain anything to me. I just thought it was a pretty crazy thing for an eighteen year old to have, that's all." When Jess gazed off into space without responding, Mindy quickly added, "But you can talk about it if you want to. You know you can trust me." This last statement was followed up by an even warmer smile.

Jess nodded in confirmation. "Well, I do feel like I can trust you now, especially since your party. Thanks for not blabbing about me and Stacy to everyone, you know…" her voice trailed off again as the skin over her wide, high cheekbones turned slightly pink.

"Ah, it's all cool," Mindy assured her with a laugh and a quick tap on Jess' upper arm. "It's nothing we all haven't done, ya know? It was just your turn in the lottery to get busted doing it."

"Yeah," Jess agreed with a nervous laugh. And then, dropping her voice to a near conspiratorial whisper that forced Mindy to lean closer to hear properly, she began to recite the tale behind Sandie's overprotective behavior.

"When we lived back in New Jersey, my mom was married to a guy – not my dad, this guy was from Camden – who ended up being a total overcontrolling jerkoff. He was technically my step dad, but I refused to call him "Dad" or even think of him as a father-like person. My real father lives in Georgia and he's the only "Dad" I need, ya know?" When Mindy gave her a genuinely understanding nod, Jess continued. "So anyway, about a year ago Mom finally got a divorce from Fred – that's the schmuck's name, but I hate to say it aloud so I just call him the schmuck – and we moved in with my grandma Esther for a little while. But the schmuck didn't let it go. He started following her around everywhere and making threats, stuff like he was going to kidnap me to Colorado, crazy stuff like that-"

"Why on earth-" Mindy started to query, but Jess quickly explained.

"He always thought he was a better father than my real dad and it royally pissed him off that I wouldn't call him "Dad" and all that. He got so jealous of my real dad that he forbade me to call him, or let me take his calls, and he'd always get to the mail first and would throw away letters from him to make it look like Dad wasn't trying to contact me. God, what a putz," she snarled, her grey eyes sparking with anger at the old memories. "Anyway. The schmuck's threats really got to my mom. Scared me too, but Mom went to all kinds of measures to keep me safe short of hiding me somewhere in Antarctica. I wanted to go live with my real Dad, but it would have screwed up my senior year and to be honest, I wouldn't have been any safer since the schmuck knew where Dad lived, too. So Mom insisted on picking me up every day from school and set a strict curfew and limited who I could hang out with. If I was at a friend's house, I had to call her before I left and either she'd come pick me up or someone she trusted would drive me, like my Uncle Paul or Grandma Esther."  
Mindy shook her head in open disbelief, her sun-lightened hair swinging around her smooth golden shoulders. "Guy, Jess, I had no idea. That must have been seriously scary for you," she said in her mildest voice.

Jess gazed unfocusedly into the distance again. "It wasn't fun," she said after a moment's silence. "And yes, we did talk to the police, but Mom was afraid to get a restraining order because she was afraid it might really set the schmuck off. When a colleague of hers told her about this job in the art department at the movie studio, Mom jumped at it, natch. We didn't tell anyone before we left. Not even my best friend Renee knew ahead of time. Mom made a down payment on our house in Venice sight unseen and we loaded up her car in the dead of night and just drove away." As she spoke she seemed to get ever so slightly choked up, but seemed to instantly recover herself before finishing her saga. "So now Mom works behind tall gates and we live on a quiet little back street three thousand miles from the schmuck and he seems to be none the wiser. He probably thinks we moved to Philly itself, or New York State, since that's where Mom went to college. She uses her maiden name but I use my real dad's last name. They were never married, by the way. Mom and my real dad," Jess added offhandedly.

"Really? Interesting. So I guess your curfew is a holdover from your time back East," Mindy said, nodding with comprehension as she turned all the facts over in her head and used them to develop an overall picture of Jess' situation. "Well, thanks for telling me that, Jessica. And of course I won't tell a soul. You have my word on that," she reassured the dark-haired girl kindly.

Jess smiled at her with relief. "I believe you, Mindy. And hey, thanks for listening."

"Oh, any time," Mindy told her. "Hey, we should trade numbers and go out to lunch or shopping sometime. Allen's going to be in Hawaii for three weeks and I'm gonna have a lot of time to hang out."

Already digging in her purse for a pen and scrap paper, Jess nodded in agreement. "Yeah, let's. You're gonna miss Allen a lot, huh? Ok, what's your number?"

As they were exchanging contact information Jess heard a male voice calling her name from about twenty yards away and looked up to see Stacy coming toward them at a jog, his damp hair swinging heavily behind his shoulders.

"Hey, Jessica. So sorry I'm late, but the sets just wouldn't stop comin'," he explained after he got to her side and gave her a fast squeeze. "Hey, Mindy."

"Hey, Stacy. Surfing while making your girlfriend stand in line? Boy, you're the last of the great romantics, huh?" Mindy shot at him teasingly as Stacy gave her a snarky little smile.

"She doesn't mind, do ya Jessica?" Stacy asked her as he slipped an arm about her waist and pulled her close.

Jess shook her head and met Mindy's amused glance. "Well, it's a good thing Mindy was here to talk to or I'd be bored as hell," she admitted, but put her own arm around him and returned his embrace.

"I better get back to Allen before he thinks I bailed on him to go surfing myself," Mindy told them, then made her departure with a wave and a promise to call Jess later that week.

Watching her go, Stacy murmured, "Mindy's a cool girl. She's a little younger than you, but I think you two would get along well."

"I think so too," Jess replied with conviction, then steered the conversation to a more urgent topic. "So, you ready for all the registration craziness?" she quipped with a little grin, which quickly melted away when she saw Stacy's mixed expression of seriousness and anxiety.

"Um, I've decided not to register, actually." Staring at the ground and blinking nervously as he made this proclamation, Stacy's face was a study of conflicted emotions.

For a moment Jess just looked uncomprehendingly up at him before finding her voice. "You mean you're going to wait and register later, or…" she let her voice trail off as Stacy began to shake his head negatively.

"No, I mean I'm not registering at all. I was doing some thinking today – well, starting last night – and decided not to go back to college for a little while," he confessed in a tight, distant voice.

Stunned, Jess gaped wide-eyed at him again. "You're kidding!" When Stacy shook his head no again, she disbelievingly asked him, "So what are you going to do instead?"

He shrugged, looking very flushed and uncomfortable at this point. "I dunno, just surf, I guess," he said in a vague tone. At the shocked look on his girlfriend's face, he tried to explain his decision a little more fully. "I know it sounds crazy, but last night it just kinda hit me that what I'm doing right now – the classes and skate contests and stuff – it just doesn't feel right anymore. It's just not fun like it used to be," he added with a sigh, closing his blue eyes as though the admission caused him physical pain.

"But you're doing so well in the contests," Jess protested. "I thought they were going to be your ticket to sponsorship!"

Stacy winced slightly. "I thought they would be too, but so far they haven't. I'm starting to feel like a rat in a wheel, ya know? Running like crazy and getting nowhere. I want off the ride for a little while. Just gimme some time to chill, get my head together, plan my next move, you know?"

Jess ran her hand through her dark tresses, still processing this unexpected revelation and trying to figure out where she fit in it. "You're not going to Hawaii too or anything?"

For the first time Stacy laughed. "Oh god no! I'm way too broke for that. Don't worry, Jessica. I want to keep seeing you and everything. C'mon, you're one of the few things in my life that's working out, ya know?"

So relieved to hear him say that, Jess' knees nearly gave out on her. "Well good. Because if you dumped me too then I'd know you were out of your ever-lovin' mind," she shot at him with a grin. "So are you sure you don't want to take just one class? Y'know, to keep your hand in, so to speak?" she couldn't resist asking in a last-ditch attempt to keep their Summer school plans alive.

His mouth set in a straight line, Stacy shook his head no. "I'm just gonna keep my schedule wide open this summer. And no skating contests for a while, either. It's gonna be all about the surfing. Nothin' clears my head more than riding the waves, man. _Nothin'_," he emphasized. "As soon as I made my decision after waking up today all the tension just vanished. And then I had one of the best sessions this morning that I've had in a long time. This is the right thing to do, Jessica. I hope you can understand…"

She softly placed one hand on his chest to silence him. "Yeah, I do understand, or at least as best as a non-surfer can," she told him in a soft voice that inspired him to give her a relieved hug.

"Hey, I'll be glad to give you surfing lessons too," he said when he let her go again.

"Deal," she agreed. "Oh good, the line's moving faster now. God, I just want to get this crap over with. Hey, are you going to stay, or do you want to surf some more?" she asked him with an anxious glance.

"Of course I'll stay," he told her. "After all, I promised to go with you today. No sense in making you go through this alone."

An hour and a half later Jess had gotten into all the classes she'd wanted. As she'd gone from one sign-up table to the next, Stacy stayed faithfully at her side, living up to his earlier promise. It had nearly broken her heart to see her name on the roster lists without Stacy's written after it like they had planned, but his mind was made up and there was no arguing with his decision. Privately she had to wonder if he really was doing the right thing by putting off his education, but she refrained from chastising him any further. I'll just sound like my mom, she realized. And that's the last thing he needs right now. I may not agree with his plan, but I'll support it anyway. What other choice do I really have?

"I'll walk you to your car," Stacy offered as they left the gymnasium. When they reached the Triumph they paused for one more hug and kiss. "You wanna come have dinner at my house tonight? Mom's making chicken and rice," he informed her with a little grin.

"Yes!" Jess replied gleefully, her earlier bad mood lifting a little at the thought of having her favorite meal, especially as prepared by Stacy's mom, who unlike Sandie was the queen of good home-cooked meals. She agreed to come to his house at seven and they parted ways for the afternoon.

At 6:50 Jess pulled up in front of the Peralta residence and parked. She checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror before climbing out of the car, noting that her shin didn't hurt from the movement for the first time since twisting it during her first skating lesson the other week. She adjusted the halter top of her ankle-length dark brown dress and climbed up the steps to the front porch. Before she could even knock Stacy opened the front door and ushered her in. As promised, the luscious smell of baked chicken breasts simmering in wild rice greeted her nostrils and made her salivate a little bit.

Stacy's mother, clad in a brightly colored paisley dress and her light hair neatly coiffed as usual, stepped out of the kitchen to greet her. "Hello Jessica, don't you look lovely. You know, brown's your color," she said admiringly as gave Jess a quick once-over with eyes the same intense hue of blue as her son's. "Go ahead and sit at the table, dear. Stacy, would you go tell your father that dinner's almost ready?"

As soon as he was out of earshot at the back of the house, Stacy's mom paused to lean against the kitchen doorway and speak in a confidential tone to Jess. "You know about Stacy's big decision, I take it?"

"Yes, he told me this morning. What do you think about it?" she had to ask as she toyed with the stem of the full water glass that was already set at her place.

His mom gave a crooked little smile of resignation. "Well, I can kind of see his point, to be honest. It was his grandmother who put the idea into his head last night, you know. She was looking through a skating magazine and when she saw he wasn't in there, she asked him how he could be the number three skateboarder in the world and not even have his name mentioned anywhere."

"But he's been in magazines before," Jess protested.

"I know," Stacy's mom agreed. "But she did have a point. What's the point of going to all those contests and being the number three skater in the world if you don't get plenty of recognition for it? So anyway, he got really quiet and thoughtful after that. And this morning he told his father and I that he was going to ease off of the skating and the school, too." She sighed. "I can understand the skating decision, sure. But I do wish he'd reconsider the school part."

"Well, classes don't start until next Monday," Jess told her. He's got until then to change his mind and sign up."

Stacy's dad walked into the dining room, followed closely by Stacy himself, who was wiping his just-washed damp hands on his shirt. "Hello, Jessica," Mr. Peralta said, then took a seat at the small round table beside her. "Are we discussing our errant son?"

"Dad," Stacy started to protest, but got cut off by a little barking laugh from his father.

"Never mind, son. Like we've always said, it's your life. College will always be there whenever you're ready to go."

"True," Stacy replied with obvious relief as he took a seat by Jessica and gave her hand a covert squeeze under the tablecloth.

His mom brought the covered dishes to the table and they all served themselves, talking about a variety of topics from the growing drought to Carter's chances in the Fall's presidential election. "Imagine a peanut farmer running the nation!" Stacy's dad snorted derisively.

"Hey, he does have experience governing a state, and stranger things have happened in this country," Stacy countered amiably before his mom changed the subject to something more benign.

After dinner Jess helped his mom clear the plates and glasses away and load them into the dishwasher while Stacy and his dad sat on the couch and turned on the TV. The wall-mounted kitchen phone rang, startling Jess, who was standing right beside it waiting to hand Mrs. Peralta another dish. She answered it, then frowned a little bit as she listened to the caller's voice. "I…yes, go ahead. Yes, you have the right number. Just a moment." She covered the mouthpiece with one hand and called out to the living room: "Stacy! Phone for you, long distance."

Stacy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Ok, I'll get it in my room," he announced as he leapt to his feet and ran to the back of the house. Jess and his parents all looked at each other and shrugged.

As she came into the living room and stood by the couch the temptation to tiptoe into the hallway and eavesdrop on his call was strong, but Jess managed to resist. Stacy had left his bedroom door open and the dimmest snatches of Stacy's side of the conversation were just audible over the low volume of the TV set. She heard him say "Unreal" then "That's so hot" and then alarmingly, the words "passport" and "visa." After a pause this was followed by another "That's so hot" and finally a "Ok, thank you very much. Bye!"

The next sound that came from Stacy's room was a joyous victory whoop, then the Z-boy himself came charging back down the hall and stopped in the living room doorway. "Guys, guess what!" he yelled enthusiastically. That was John Arnold, a guy who owns a chain of sports shops in Australia, and he wants to sponsor me for a tour! I'm a pro now!" He concluded his announcement with another whoop, squeezing his eyes shut in delight as he grinned and bounced up and down on his toes.

Stacy's mom stood up and gave her son a big hug. "Oh, I'm so proud of you, Stacy. Come, sit down and tell us more." Stacy obeyed, reaching out to take Jess' hand and pull her down on the couch along with him. As he explained the details he caressed her fingers with his almost absentmindedly. "Well, he wants me to do exhibitions, and give safety talks, and just um, tell people about skateboarding and stuff."

"That's just fantastic," his mom enthused, but Jess still wasn't totally clear on everything.

"So you say this guy owns shops in Australia…is that where you're going?" she asked hesitantly. Guess Mindy won't be the only one with a boyfriend out of town for a little bit during the Summer, she thought privately.

Stacy nodded happily. "Yep, all over the whole continent," he confirmed with a grin.

"How long do you think you'll be down there?" his mom asked. Hopefully no more than a week or two, Jess thought ferverently.

"He said it would probably take three or four months to do it right," Stacy informed them. Jess felt her pounding heart come to a screeching halt briefly. "Th-three or four _months_? she asked wide-eyed in confirmation, trying to swallow the panic that was rising in her throat and threatening to choke her.

"Yeah, three or four months," he confirmed, his expression still dreamy.

Stacy's dad leaned forward, a curious expression on his darkly handsome face. "So when will you leave, son?"

Stacy grinned again before replying. "He said their American agents have tickets and a visa already waiting for me at the airport. They want me to catch the next flight out. It leaves tomorrow. Nine a.m. sharp."


	40. Chapter 39

**Wishing Chapter 39**

As soon as the words were out of Stacy's mouth his expression morphed from unbridled delight to somber concern as the implications of what he was saying began to hit him. He turned to Jess, who was silently staring at her lap and squeezed her hand to make her look up at him. "Hey, I'll be back before you know it," he told her in the most reassuring tones possible.

In response Jess just gave a quick shake of her head, then jumped to her feet, letting go of Stacy's hand as she stood up. "Well, I guess you have a lot of packing and things to take care of, so I'll let you be," she declared so hastily that her words almost blurred together as she strode toward the door.

"Oh, you don't have to go so soon," Mrs. Peralta told her.

"Yeah, we got time to hang out," Stacy added as he started to rise from the couch.

But Jess kept going as though she hadn't heard them. "Have a great trip," she told Stacy as she swung the front door open, unable to look at his now-startled face as she slipped out and pulled it to behind her, then ran across the porch and down the front steps.

But before she could even get halfway across the lawn she heard footsteps on the grass behind her, then felt Stacy's arms encircle her waist, forcing her gently to a halt. "Jessica, you can't just leave like this! C'mon now," he breathed softly in her right ear as he pulled her close.

At first she didn't trust herself to speak and couldn't turn to face him, either. Sensing her reluctance, Stacy relinquished his hold and went around to stand in front of her instead. He delved his fingertips beneath her chin and tilted her face upward. "Hey," he half-whispered when she finally made eye contact. "I know this has all come as a shock to you, and I was surprised at how long they want me to stay down there too, but try to be happy for me," he said, his blue eyes and his vocal tone both plaintive. "For years I've been wanting this to happen, and now I'm on my way."

Petulantly, Jess spoke up: "But just this morning you were saying that you were done with skateboarding."

Stacy ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but this morning I wasn't a sponsored pro, either. That's what the guy in Australia just said – 'You're a bloody pro now!'" Despite her distress Jess couldn't help noticing that Stacy pronounced the country's name with his laconic California accent as _Awstrawlia_. When she didn't reply he soldiered on. "Look, to be totally honest, if I'd turned the offer down then the guy would have called Alva. Or Biniak. Or Wentzle. And any of them would have jumped on it in a heartbeat. It's just something I couldn't refuse, I'm sorry."

Still silent and totally dry-eyed, Jess just looked at the ground and nodded.

Stacy took both her hands in his. "Hey, the time is going to fly by. And I'll write to you as much as possible while I'm over there," he promised.

After taking a deep breath, Jess made herself look him in the eyes again. "Don't feel like you have to write, though. You'll probably be way too busy for that," she countered, then made herself voice her worst fear: "And…and if you meet any interesting girls then – then don't feel like you have to- to tell them you're taken-"

Stacy's jaw literally dropped in shock. "Awww, Jessica! Do you really think I'd lie about having a girlfriend back in the States?" He threw his head back and rolled his eyes to the sky as he stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace again.

"Well, I just don't want you to feel tied down or anything," Jess murmured into his hair.

He sighed, then held her away at arm's length to study her face intensely. "Wait, are you saying you want to break up, or just that you want me to pretend I'm single while I'm in Oz?" he asked her, anxiety tingeing his voice. Because I don't want to break up, Jess. If you can wait for me, I _will _come back to you, ok? Ok?"

"Ok," Jess agreed. "I'll wait."

Stacy's shoulders sagged as he exhaled sharply in relief. "That's all I wanted to hear," he whispered as he pushed her chin up once more and brought his mouth down to hers, giving her a long-lasting soulkiss with no thought for spying parents or neighbors.

When the kiss ended Jess reluctantly stepped away from him. "I really should go so you can get packed," she announced in a sad, small voice.

"I guess so," Stacy said with a resigned sigh, then his face brightened as an idea occurred to him. "Hey, since you don't have classes, do you wanna take me to the airport tomorrow? Both my parents will be working and I hate to make them take the morning off."

Jess gave him a half-hearted smile. "Ok, what time should I pick you up?"

Stacy looked up as he calculated driving and waiting times. "7:30 should work. That'll get me to the airport over an hour before my flight. Should be plenty of time since I won't have to wait in line to buy tickets."

"They really are taking care of you, huh?" Jess said a tad enviously. Privately, she was reassured by the knowledge of the star treatment that his Australian hosts would be giving him. I really do hope the girls aren't too beautiful or aggressive to resist, Jess thought worriedly as she gave him one last hug and started for her car again.

Back at home, she refused the temptation of going to her room and sulking, instead making herself sit up and talk to Sandie about her day and the bombshells that Stacy had dropped on her. When she got to the Australia part, her mother's eyes brimmed with the tears that Jess couldn't shed herself. "Oh sweetie, I am so sorry to hear that," she told her daughter as she gathered her up in a big motherly hug. "I know you have to be pretty upset right now. What a shock! And just when I was getting to like him, too," she lamented with a little sniffle.

Jess pulled away from her and sat upright. "Mom, don't hate him for this. He's really sad to be leaving me, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. If he passed it up he'd be nuts," she explained in his defense. "Here, don't cry," she told her mother as she got a paper towel from the kitchen and handed it over so Sandie could blot her now free-flowing tears.

"I don't see how you can be so stoic about this yourself," Sandie murmured as she wiped her face and blew her nose.

"It probably hasn't really hit me yet," Jess replied in a faraway voice as she sat back down on the couch. "Anyway, there's really no point in my crying over it. He'll be back, he promised. And when he's home again we'll just take it from there. In the meantime I have school and work and friends to occupy my time. I'll be fine, Mom."

Sandie wadded the paper towel up in one fist. "If you say so, dear," she retorted quietly, then went to the kitchen, threw the towel away and announced that she was going to go read in bed, her normal pre-sleeping activity.

"So when are you seeing Sam again?" Jess asked before Sandie could leave the room. Try to end the night on a happy note so she doesn't have bad dreams, Jess wished privately.

At the mention of her new boyfriend's name, her mother's face brightened instantly. "We have plans to get together at his place for dinner tomorrow, actually. Hey, maybe you'd like to join us? I think it's time you two met."

"Oh, are things going that well?" Jess quipped, but with a delighted smile.

Sandie just blushed a bit, then told her daughter good night and went to her room.

It's time she found a decent guy who treats her right, Jess mused as she went to her own bedroom and sank down on her bed still fully clothed. Maybe Sam's the one, she thought optimistically. My relationship might be on hold, but hopefully hers will move along nicely. Her being with a steady guy is just one more locked door between her and Fred. May he rot in Sheol forever, that asshole.

She should have headed for the bathroom to perform her nightly face-washing and tooth-brushing ritual, but instead she remained on her back, her long dress spread out over the sheets and her hair echoing its shape as it spilled across her pillow and onto the mattress. Stacy, she thought as she closed her eyes. Oh Stacy, what's going to become of us?

Overwhelmed and dragged out by the long and emotionally fraught day, she soon drifted off to sleep. But shortly after midnight, a gentle but insistent tapping on her window caused her startled eyelids to fly open. A bit disoriented, she sat up and looked toward the source of the noise, not sure if she had really heard it or not. Then it came again, triggering memories of Stacy's clandestine visit on her birthday night, which had happened under very similar circumstances. She slid out of bed and lifted the blinds, half-afraid that the visitor would be someone else, but it was indeed Stacy, who grinned up at her and gestured impatiently for her to open the window.

Once he was inside her room he immediately fell into her arms and kissed her long and hard. "Were you asleep a minute ago?" he whispered as soon as he came up for air.

"Well, I didn't think you'd come over tonight," she confessed truthfully.

Stacy rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "Aww, c'mon. Like I'd waste our last night together for three months," he told her with a little chuckle.

"Or four," she corrected while reaching up to stroke his chest through his yellow tee shirt.

"Yeah, or four," he agreed. "But there's just no telling at this point. God, I'm gonna _miss_ you," he said with a deep sigh as he pulled her close and rocked her gently in his arms.

"I'm going to miss you too. A lot. But you're gonna have a good time down there, Stacy. Just send me a postcard from time to time and tell me about all the action I'm missing," she commanded.

He kissed her forehead. "I'll write you actual letters," he promised again. "Since I won't be out partying with any chicks, I'll have nothing else to do after dark," he jested. "So expect a lot of _War-and-Peace_-like epics about Australia's skate terrain every week, ok?"

Jess laughed for the first time since hearing his trip news. "Fair enough." She looked up at him and bit her lower lip slightly. "Seriously Stacy, I don't expect you to treat all girls like they're plutonium or anything. Hang out with all the girls you want, party, go to dinner, whatever. I just don't want you to feel caged up and resentful because of me," she added, but he held up a hand in protest.

"I have never felt 'caged up and resentful' about being with you, Jessica, and I won't feel like that over there either. Regardless of how many girls I meet. Ok?" Jess smiled shyly and nodded. "I want you to look me in the eye and say 'We are together,'" Stacy commanded. Jess obeyed, but too insecurely for his liking. "Say it like you mean it," he compelled her.

"We are together," she said more firmly.

"And we'll still be together while I'm gone and when I get back," he went on.

"We'll still be together while you're gone and when you get back," she repeated dutifully. "I really want to believe that," she added as he squeezed her tight in relief.

"Believe it, Jessica. I do." He brought his face down to hers for another kiss. "Man, I really wanna stay and be with you one more time, but it would be kinda shitty of me to um, hit and run, y'know?" he admitted reluctantly when their lips had parted again.

"No it wouldn't," Jess quickly assured him. "I'd really like to do it one more time before you go. One for the road, you know?" she added with a wink, already pulling him toward the bed.

After the barest resistance, he caved in and let her strip his shirt off before joining her on the mattress. Once under the sheets he took his time disrobing her, running his hands all over her form and inhaling the scent of her skin and hair deeply as though he was trying to stamp the feel and smell of her indelibly in his long-term memory. Once fully undressed, they engaged in a long foreplay session and then coupled unhurriedly while Stacy repeatedly whispered how much he would miss her and that he would always be true. When he felt his climax start to build, he forced himself to pause. Looking down at her languidly ecstatic face, he softly spoke her name. She opened her eyes and met his gaze openly. "I love you," he said, then resumed his movements.

"Oh Stacy, I love you too," she replied in a slightly choked voice as she reached up and gripped his upper arms.

Moments later he finished, then collapsed half on top of her, breathing fast. Jess pulled a damp handful of Stacy's hair away from the back of his neck and he shivered slightly as the cool air hit his skin. Then he spoke, his voice slightly muffled in her loose hair: "I really do love you, you know."

Jess traced her nails down his back gently. "I know. And I really do love you, too." She felt him smile and exhale warmly against her shoulder.

"I don't wanna move from this spot ever again, never mind board a plane to bloody _Awstrawlia_ tomorrow," he moaned quietly.

Jess softly laughed, amused that the tables were turned and now she was doing the comforting. "It's ok. You'll be back before you know it," she replied reassuringly.

"Yeah, guess so." He pulled the rest of the way out with a regretful little sigh and rolled onto his back beside Jess, who turned onto her side and reached out to slowly trace his face from forehead to chin, creating a few sensory memories of her own. As her thumb paused over his lips he kissed it softly, then closed his eyes and silently gave himself over to her touch. When her exploration was complete she leaned over and kissed his forehead and temples, then pressed her lips to each to his eyelids in turn. She thought she tasted a hint of saltiness beneath his lashes, but a quick glance at his expression revealed nothing of his inner thoughts beyond obvious pleasure, so she bent back down and resumed her ministrations.

When her mouth got to his they laid side by side and kissed for several long minutes, then Stacy sighed hard again and forced himself to break the contact by sitting up. "I really should take off, still have a little packing to do," he told her with a crooked smile of regret.

Jess sat up too, finger combing her disheveled hair back into a semblance of order. "So are you taking any shirts that aren't striped?" she teased.

"Hey, what can I say? I really dig striped shirts," Stacy replied in mock defensiveness as he rolled out of the bed. Jess just giggled as he began gathering up his clothes. When he sat on the edge of the bed to pull on his boxers and jeans, she longingly ran her fingertips down his bare back one last time. I really hope I don't go crazy from the lack of sex while Stacy's gone, she thought to herself as he put on his shirt. It sure was nice while it lasted, though.

When he was ready to climb back out the window, Stacy crushed Jess to him one more time and kissed her hard. "See ya at 7:30, ok?" he confirmed, then made his departure quickly, as though he might change his mind about the whole thing and beg to stay.

Jess had a hard time falling asleep after he was gone, but she managed to get an hour or two of rest in total. She woke on her own two minutes before the alarm was set to go off, quickly washed up and dressed, then slipped out of the house while Sandie was getting ready for work in her own room, not wanting to have another emotional moment with her mom at that point.

As she pulled up at the Peralta house the sun was making a valiant effort to break through the early morning gloom. "Looks like it'll be a good day for flying," Stacy quipped as he answered the door and peeked over Jess' shoulder at the sky. A large beige suitcase and a small burgundy carry-on bag were standing by the door, his favorite yellow skateboard propped up next to them.

"Mom! We're going now," Stacy called to the back of the house, sending his mother bustling out from the hallway, her workday makeup only half-applied. "Oh Stacy, be safe and have a wonderful time," she told him as she took his face in both hands and planted a big kiss on each slightly pink cheek. "I'll miss you so much!"

"Gonna miss you too, Mom. I'll try to call once I'm at the hotel in Sydney, ok?" He bent down and picked up his bags and the skateboard, gently waving away Jess' offer to help carry something.

"If it's too expensive then you don't have to call. Just write us and let us know how it's going, all right?" his mom requested as tears came unbidden to her blue eyes. "Your father and I are so proud of you, Stacy. You just don't know." She gave him one more hug, then turned to Jess and thanked her for taking her boy to the airport. "It's no problem at all, Mrs. Peralta," Jess assured her with a warm smile.

The trip to the airport took less than fifteen minutes. Stacy instructed Jess to leave the Triumph at the valet parking curb in front of Terminal Two, where his flight was going to board. "Leave it to LA to have valet parking at the airport," Jess chuckled as she turned the keys over to the dark-uniformed attendant, but her laugh was hollow. I still can't quite believe this is all happening, she thought as she followed Stacy through the nearest sliding glass doors and into the terminal. He quickly located the Qantas service desk and gave his passport to the well-coiffed blonde behind the counter, who quickly produced his tickets and needed paperwork just as the promoter had promised. She even offered to take his suitcase to check-in for him so he wouldn't have to stand in line. Wow, the VIP treatment has already started and he hasn't even left the ground yet, Jess thought bemusedly.

They passed the hour until boarding time by stopping at a newsstand for some snacks and a couple of magazines for Stacy to consume during the flight. "Although once we're out over the Pacific I'll probably just go to sleep and hopefully not wake up until we're back over land," he told Jess as they made their way to the gate in a leisurely fashion. As they walked Stacy distractedly toyed with the folder that contained his tickets and passport until it became slightly dog-eared and he tucked it into the front pocket of his jacket.

When they got to the gate they saw the aircraft already parked at the end of the jetway, an impressively large 747 emblazoned with the Qantas jumping kangaroo silhouette. "Guess that's my ride," Stacy said pensively as he gazed out of the huge plate glass windows at it. "Looks like a two hundred model. I was kinda hoping for the new 747SP, but oh well."

Jess just shook her head. "Boys and airplanes," she said with a little laugh.

"Airplanes are cool. But I like motorcycles even more," he informed her as they sank down together on a wide ledge in the nearest window. For a few minutes they sat in companionable silence and watched the other passengers come and go along with various uniformed airline staff. Then Stacy discreetly took her hand in his and absentmindedly caressed it before looking into her eyes. "Jessica, I-"

"_GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, QANTAS AIRLINES FLIGHT 52 BOUND FOR SYDNEY IS NOW PRE-BOARDING FOR ALL PASSENGERS IN FIRST CLASS."_

While the announcement boomed out of the overhead speakers, they both laughed at the untimely interruption. After it ended, Stacy tried again. "Jessica, I really hope you're cool with all this," he said, a concerned look in his eyes as he tried to gauge her emotions.

"I am now," she told him truthfully.

He nodded. "Great, I thought so. Just making sure, though."

Jess squeezed his hand hard. "I just want you to be happy and have a good time over there. And that's an order, Mister Peralta. I'll still be here when you get back, ok?"

"Ok. And whenI get back I want you to be here to pick me up. And _that's_ an order too, Miss Gioli."

Their laughter was drowned out by a second boarding call for first class passengers and families with babies and small children. "What seat do you have anyway?" Jess asked curiously. Stacy dug his tickets out and scrutinized them. "Looks like it's 18A. Hmm, row 18, isn't that…"

"_GOOD MORNING ONCE AGAIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. QANTAS FLIGHT 52 TO SYDNEY IS NOW READY FOR BOARDING BY ALL UPPER DECK BUSINESS PASSENGERS. ALL ROWS FROM 16 TO 27 NOW BOARDING PLEASE!"_ the Australian-accented female voice boomed out again.

"Hey, you're on the upper deck!" Jess exclaimed in surprise. "Man, that sports store owner must have some serious money to throw around."

"Yeah, guess so," Stacy replied dazedly, apparently realizing that this was a harbinger of things to come. He didn't get up immediately, but stayed with Jess in the window seat for a few more minutes speaking to her reassuringly about keeping in touch and how the months would pass quickly, she'd see…

At last the final boarding call came over the PA so they reluctantly left their window seat and walked to the jetway entrance. Before he walked through the doorway Stacy lingered at Jess' side for a few seconds, because a few seconds were all they had left. He reached out and caressed her hair where it fell beside her right cheekbone. "Well, guess this is goodbye for now," he told her with a crooked smile.

"Yeah. Bye, Stacy. See you in a few months."

"Yeah. I love you, Jessica." He leaned forward and placed a final kiss on her lips, lingering only slightly before he pulled away.

"I love you too, Stacy," she said, giving him a shaky smile of her own.

He grinned briefly, then turned and started walking down the long grey-carpeted jetway. At the corner he stopped and looked back over his shoulder to give her his trademark wrinkled-nose smile and a quick wave. And then he was around the corner and out of view.

With a huge sigh Jess returned to the window seat and watched the last of the passengers board. She looked outside and tried to spot Stacy's bright blonde mane in one of the oval windows set along the upper deck, but to her disappointment saw no sign of him. When the jetway door was slammed shut and the tug attached itself to the jet's nose gear and began pushing the enormous plane backward into the sunlight as its turbine engines began to spool up, Jess restlessly jumped to her feet and strode out of the gate area toward the nearest exit. The valet took only a few minutes to retrieve her Triumph, giving her a look that spoke his appreciation for the car if not the driver. She paid him with a ten that Stacy's mom had given her in payment for taking him to the airport, then jumped behind the wheel and zoomed away from the curb while rolling down her window, her manual shifting skills now silky smooth.

She turned onto Sky Way heading for Sepulveda, but got turned around in her unfamiliar surroundings and ended up on a small road that was surrounded on both sides by what looked like warehouses and hangars. Pulling over, she considered what to do for a minute, then decided to keep going in the same direction in the hope that it would lead her someplace familiar. She put the car in gear and started driving, but slowly, in case she had to turn around and try again.

As she passed by a last set of hangars off to her right the vista suddenly opened up to reveal runway 6R and a jetliner that was hurtling down it, its landing gear just lifting off the tarmac as it began soaring skyward. She peered at the artwork on the side of the fuselage and realized with a start that it was the Sydney-bound Qantas 747. As it approached, the four wing-mounted Rolls Royce engines made their distinctive keening sound which rapidly gave way to a near-deafening roar that filled the Triumph's interior as the airliner passed almost directly overhead, taking Stacy out of her life. She leaned over the steering wheel and craned her neck to watch as the jet, still climbing rapidly, made a sharp banking turn to the right that would take it south along the West Coast for the first leg of its very long journey. She kept her gaze focused doggedly on the plane as it continued to head upward into the sky, barreling for the far horizon and leaving roiling exhaust trails in its wake. When at last it had dwindled to a tiny dark speck and was lost to view against the shimmering morning haze, Jess dropped her head to the steering wheel and for the first time ever, wept for Stacy Peralta.


	41. Wishing Final Chapter

**Wishing on the Dogstar – The Last Chapter and Afterword**

Night had fallen as the red-orange orb of the sun had sunk into the Pacific Ocean, draining the colors from the air except where patches of artificial light from streetlamps and storefront displays illuminated their immediate surroundings. Weaving her way alone through the mid-August weekend crowd, thinner now with the onset of evening, Jess paused at an ice cream stand and bought a cherry vanilla ice cream cone from the tired looking vendor. She began working on it delicately with her tongue as she crossed the Venice boardwalk and made her way onto the cool sand, avoiding the little clusters of lingering families and recently arrived couples and teenaged revelers.

Once she reached the point where lapping waves gently washed the shoreline, she stopped and ate her ice cream while staring unseeingly toward the hidden horizon. After she the last of the cone had been devoured, she turned back and aimlessly wandered up the beach for a few dozen yards, her flip-flopped feet sometimes struggling to find purchase in the deep, loose sands.

When she was tired of zig-zagging around random people and ocean breeze-blown piles of trash, she returned to the low seawall that separated the beach proper from the boardwalk and sat down with her legs crossed and her elbows propped on her knees, just watching everything and at the same time seeing nothing. Then a familiar female voice called out to her from the boardwalk a few feet away:

"Hey Jess! What's up, girl?" It was Deb, looking tanned and strikingly pretty in a silk and crocheted cream-colored pantsuit and tall wedge espadrilles. She was holding the arm of a guy with wavy streaked blonde hair who looked vaguely familiar to Jess, but she couldn't quite place his face, which was of the classic handsome All-American variety. Deb let go of his arm and strode over to Jess' spot on the wall.

"Hey Deb, long time no see," she told her a bit abashedly after she hugged her older friend.

"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock!" Deb shot back, but with a warm smile to offset the sarky retort. "Where have ya been in the last few weeks? Not moping over your boyfriend, I hope," she guessed with a little laugh.

Jess laughed back. "No, I miss him like crazy, but I've been getting out, going to class, working…y'know, living my life…" her voice drifted off as she realized it probably didn't help her case to be seen sitting moodily alone on a seawall. Hey, at least I'm in public among people, though, Jess reflected privately.

"That's good to hear," Deb replied approvingly. "So do you hear much from Stacy? He'd better be keeping in touch like a good boy."

"Yeah, he writes from time to time. Of course not as much as he promised he would, but whadda ya expect? He's a boy after all," Jess quipped in a light tone.

Deb raised her eyebrows, frowning slightly in disappointment. "Oh well, something's better than nothing, I guess."

Nodding with agreement, Jess countered, "And to be honest I've written to him even less because he moves around the country so much. By the time he sends me a new address, he's already gone to the next city. But so far he seems to be having a great time. He did complain that all the pools are square over there, though." At that revelation both girls cracked up, trying to envision Stacy's disappointment when confronted with a lack of carveable bowls.

"Poor guy, he's probably going through roundwall withdrawal," Deb tittered, but with a sympathetic edge in her voice.

"Yeah, I think so. But he did say that they're treating him really well over there. He's been on TV several times and signs a ton of autographs after every demo. Guess he's a bona fide celebrity there," Jess said with a wistful expression.

Deb's eyebrows went up. "Really? Far out. He just better not come home with a head too big to fit through the airplane door."

Jess quickly shook her head negatively. "Nah, doubt it. He's definitely enjoying it, but he still seems to be somewhat in awe about it all, too. I think he's handling it pretty well overall, though."

Before Deb could answer, the blonde guy who was with her drifted over to them, a bored expression on his cute face. "Sorry, Steve, didn't mean to leave you out. This is my friend Jess," Deb told him. He stuck out his hand and Jess shook it quickly. "You look kinda familiar," he told her.

She squinted more closely at him. "Yeah, so do you. Do you live or work around here?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, I'm the assistant manager at a surf shop two blocks north of here."

"That's it!" Jess exclaimed. "I went in there last Spring and looked at skateboards. You told me to try skating first and see if I liked it before putting money down on a new board."

At first he looked blank, then the memory seemed to seep back into his consciousness. "Oh yeah, I remember now. So did you ever try skating?"

Jess nodded. "Yep, once. It was going well until I fell and twisted my leg."

Steve made a wincing face of sympathy. "Well that's no way to get started, ur-_hur_!" Upon hearing the sound of his goofy, distinctive laugh again, Jess nearly cracked up herself. Even Deb had to grin, it was so infectious.

"Hey, we're going to Steve's for a minute and then heading to a party at the Zephyr shop, you wanna come? It's the last hurrah, you know. Skip and Jeff are closing up for good," Deb informed her.

"Wow, that's too bad. I'd heard they were in some financial trouble ever since the skate team broke apart, but had no idea it had come to that," she replied a bit sadly, remembering the impromptu pronouncement that Skip had delivered as everyone had stood on the sands watching POP burn: _"This is the beginning of the end, guys. Beginning of the end. I just know it."_

Steve's voice broke in to her reverie. "Yeah, the owner of my store is talking about buying the space, but he's hesitant since it's in kind of a bad area."

With a derisive snort Deb shot back: "Calling it 'kind of a bad area' is like saying Miki Dora is 'kind of a good surfer', man!" Jess didn't exactly get it, but Steve bent double with laughter.

"Well, thanks for the invite but I'll pass. Just not in the mood for partying tonight," Jess told them with a regretful little smile.

Deb looked let down, but gave her an understanding nod. "Yeah, especially partying at Zephyr. I have a feeling this one's going to be _in_tense." She turned to Steve. "Hey babe, you can go on if you want to. I'll catch up in a sec." He got the hint and ambled away north on the sidewalk, whistling off-tune with his hands in his shorts pockets.

"He seems sweet," Jess said with an amused grin. "How long have you guys been dating?"

Deb threw her long tumbling locks back so they fell behind her shoulders. "Only a couple of weeks, but so far, so good. He might actually be a little _too_ sweet, but I have to admit he makes a nice change from a lot of the guys you usually find around here." Then her expression turned serious. "Hey, did you get Allie's letter yet?" she asked in a low voice.

Jess nodded. "Yeah, it came a couple of days ago. I got the feeling that she had to write a formal apology to me as a part of her sentence, huh," she guessed aloud.

"Yeah, the judge told her to write it, but I think she would have made a similar gesture even if she hadn't been commanded to. She's really changed for the better, Jess. Even before the trial she improved herself a lot. She quit hanging out with Angel and Deb's crowd, went to summer school, studied hard, started helping out a lot more at our parents' house…yeah, strange to say it, but I think that incident was all it took to get her ass straightened out."

At the conclusion of Deb's speech Jess looked out toward the ocean and exhaled slowly. "I'm really glad to hear that. She seemed like a good person who just got mixed up with some real pieces of work," she stated, using the classic Jersey terminology to describe society's bad apples.

"Yeah, well I'm glad too. Nobody likes to see their kid sister screw up," Deb said in a faraway voice. "So did you think the outcome of the trial was fair? I mean, should Angel and Karen have done time instead of just getting probation?"

For a moment Jess didn't reply, just contemplated Deb's query. She licked her lips and pulled her wind-tossed hair away from her face, gestures which instantly summoned a mental image of Stacy, since he performed those actions all the time, especially when he was thinking. Then she pushed his smiling face out of her mind and answered Deb. "Well, I'm not in the legal business myself, but I guess it was fair. And to be honest, the last thing I want is for either of them to do jail time and then get out and seek revenge, ya know?"

"Oh yeah, understood." Deb said with a sage nod. "Well, if they screw up again they'll go to jail for sure, and then there'll be nobody for them to blame but their own stupid selves," she declared with conviction.

"You got that right," Jess readily agreed.

"Ok, I better catch up to Steve before he thinks I've been stolen by gypsies," Deb said with a quick glance up the boardwalk, but her date was nowhere in sight.

Jess laughed. "Yeah, or abducted by a rival hair salon. I heard about the big award you guys won, good going," she told Deb, who smiled faintly under her younger friend's praise.

"Thanks. We're trying to make Venice the happenin' place to go, ya know? Ok, outta here. Call me next week, ok? And take care of yourself, Jess." With those sentiments and a quick hug, Deb was strolling quickly up the boardwalk, her hair swinging and her undulating backside causing more than one head – both male and female – to turn admiringly. Jess smiled to herself, then slid off the wall and walked back out onto the sand, heading obliquely toward the Venice Pier, which was situated about fifty yards away.

The incoming sea breeze had picked up and the waves along with it. Jess could see the tops of the breakers as they crested and billowed toward the shore, glowing incandescently white in the glow of the gibbous moon and the nearer streetlights on the boardwalk and the pier. The White Horses of Manann, she thought, but couldn't remember where she'd heard the expression before, just reflected that it was a highly appropriate description as the waves looked for the world just like the manes of otherworldly horses plunging toward her.

After walking for a minute she found an empty spot on the beach where nobody was within earshot and sat down, shoveling the toes of her sandals an inch or two beneath the sand. Then she hunched forward and hugged her knees to her chest, rocking herself forward and backward for a minute, then tilted her head back to gaze up at the dark sky. Despite the fairly bright moon and the ambient ground light sources near by, she was able to make out a single star burning bright in the heavens above. Out of sheer habit and a touch of Old-World superstition, Jess closed her eyes and began to recite the classic "star light, star bright" formula in her head. Upon reaching the end she didn't know exactly what to wish for at first and her mind went blank for a moment. She opened her eyes and looked at the shining point of light again, focusing on it until her vision began to swim and the star seemed to divide itself into two separate parts, then melded back into one after she blinked to clear her eyesight. And then the thoughts began tumbling into her mind like the breakers on the beach just beyond:

I wish that Mom will find happiness with Sam.

I wish that Deb's career will keep doing well.

I wish that Allie will stay on her current path.

I wish that Angel and Karen will find good paths someday, too.

I wish that Skip and Jeff will have another shop and another team some day.

I wish that all the Z-Boys will get famous and surf and skate all their lives. Even Jay.

I wish that Stacy would come home soon.

I wish that he'll still love me and want me when he does get back.

I wish that life will be wonderful from here onward.

I wish.

**Afterword**

Whew, it's done! Although it's been said several times already, thank you again to everyone for reading, especially those of you who got through to the end. And double thanks and many hugs for those of you who posted reviews, regardless of how long they were or what they said. All authors say it, because we mean it: _you are the lifeblood of our stories and without your support and interest there would be no point in posting our work._

In case anyone's wondering but hestitant to ask, I am neither a Dogtowner nor old enough to have taken meaningful part in the 1970s skating scene. All the research pertaining to names, dates, places and events in this story was done using online resources such as z-boys (dot) com as well as articles and interviews from SkateBoarder magazine, the amazing C.R. Stecyk and Glen E. Friedman hardcover book _Dogtown – the Legend of the Z-Boys_ and various films such as the Dogtown & Z-Boys documentary (mandatory viewing for all Dogtown fans), Freewheelin' (a sweet little 1976 movie starring Stacy Peralta and featuring Kenny Means, Tom Sims and Bobby Piercy, three skaters mentioned in Chapter 36), Skateboard Madness, Skateboard Kings (a 1978 BBC documentary that has footage of the real Kathy Alva) and the Tony Alva/Stacy Peralta commentary on the LODT DVD. There is so much more to the Z-Boys/Zephyr story than the Lords of Dogtown 2005 theatrical film and I strongly encourage anyone who's interested in the DT&Z-Boys lore to check out the above references. Visiting Amazon and eBay should get you started nicely.

As mentioned in the disclaimer before Chapter 1, this is a work of fiction and all characters are merely based on real persons. However, the only major players who were made up entirely from whole cloth are Jess, Sandie, Angel and Karen. Everyone else is based at least in part on real Dogtowners who have told their stories either publicly via print/film or to me in personal conversations. I am highly indebted to them all.

Peace be with you all and catch ya on the flip-flop,  
**AM**


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